Cervical Dysplasia
Written by Jane Carrasco
What is Cervical Dysplasia?
Every year, between 250,000 and 1 million women in the United States are diagnosed with cervical dysplasia, the appearance of abnormal cells on the surface of the cervix.
Dysplasia, defined as-abnormal development (of organs or cells) or an abnormal structure resulting from such growth, can be detected from a gynecological pap smear. The single most important step that a woman can take to preventing dysplasia and cervical cancer is to have a regular screening and pap smear. Most dysplasia cases can be cured with proper treatment and follow-up. If left undiagnosed and untreated, cervical dysplasia can progress into invasive cancer, cervical carcinoma in situ.
While dysplasia itself does not cause health problems, it is considered to be a precancerous condition. There are no symptoms and the degree of measure for dysplasia can range from mild-moderate-severe. Mild dysplasia can regress on it's own, but moderate and severe dysplasia are less likely to self resolve. You and your doctor will take pro active steps in detecting and treating dysplasia, monitoring for reoccurances. An individual who has had abnormal Pap smears in the past may require more tests than an individual who has always had normal Pap smears. Any suspicious lesions need to be removed right away.
How Do You Treat Cervical Dysplasia?
There are no medications to treat cervical dysplasia. Surgical removal of abnormal tissue is the number one treatment. Most of the following procedures can be done in an outpatient setting.
Factors influencing the choice of treatment for cervical dysplasia include the extent and severity of the dysplasia, the age of the woman, and whether or not she has any other gynecological problems. The experience of the physician or other clinician, and the availability of equipment can also be major factors in deciding how to treat the dysplasia.
~Cryocauterization or cryotherapy is the simplest and safest procedure and typically performed without anaesthesia. Extreme cold is used to destroy the abnormal tissues. The damaged cells are shed over the next month in a heavy watery discharge.
~Loop electrosurgical excision (LEEP) thin loop wire excises visible patches of abnormal cervical tissue. Performed with local anesthesia.
~Cervical conization requires general anesthesia. A cone-shaped sample of abnormal tissue is removed from the cervix.
And--
~Laser therapy is also used to destroy abnormal cervical tissue with less scarring than cryocauterization. It is more costly than cryocauterization and performed with local anesthesia.
# Human papilloma virus (HPV) infection
# Genital warts
# Smoking
# Early onset of sexual activity (younger than 18 years old)
# Multiple sexual partners
# Having a partner whose former partner had cervical cancer
# History of one or more sexually transmitted diseases, such as genital herpes or HIV
# Having suppressed immune function from, for example, HIV or the use of chemotherapeutic medications to treat cancer
# Long-term use (5 or more years) of birth control pills
# Being born to a mother who took diethylstilbestrol (DES) to become pregnant or to sustain pregnancy (this drug was used many years ago to promote pregnancy but it is no longer used for these purposes)
# Low levels of folate (vitamin B9) in red blood cells
# Dietary deficiencies in vitamin A, beta-carotene, selenium, vitamin E, and vitamin C (scientific not entirely conclusive)
Why Treat Cervical Dysplasia?
Disclaimer
The information provided herein should not be used for diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed medical practitioner should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. The content provided is intended strictly for informational purposes to help patient understanding of medical terms and conditions.