Mild Cervical Dysplasia

Abnormalities detected by Pap smear may be suggestive of mild cervical dysplasia. Cervical dysplasia is characterized by pathological transformations in the epithelium of the cervix. The amount of pathological transformation in the epithelium indicates the stage of dysplasia, which may be mild, moderate or severe. Dysplasia of the cervix may lead to the canceration of cervical tissues, and women may be unaware that they have this condition because it is rarely accompanied visible symptoms.

If one third of epithelial cells are found to be abnormal, the condition is diagnosed as mild cervical dysplasia. Moderate dysplasia is diagnosed if pathological transformations are confined to on half of the cervical tissue. The involvement of the entire epithelium means severe cervical dysplasia. When cellular changes extend through the basement membrane into the underlying stroma the diagnosis is invasive carcinoma (cancer).

There is a good evidence that cervical dysplasia is frequently caused by human papillomavirus (HPV). Human papillomavirus infects skin cells and induces pathological transformations in the tissue. In most cases human papillomavirus is associated with different kind of warts. However, in some cases human papillomavirus infection may not show itself and cause the development of mild cervical dysplasia. Women with cervical abnormalities should have an HPV test, because it provides the possibility to evaluate the risk of dysplasia.

Mild cervical dysplasia is not a very dangerous condition and health care providers may prescribe to perform a repeated Pap smears without special treatment. Most often mild cervical lesions regress on their own. However, in case mild cervical dysplasia persists during several months, the woman is usually referred for colposcopic examination and it is quite possible that she will need to undergo some treatment.

In case Pap smear test suggests the presence of moderate or severe dysplasia, patient should have colposcopy with biopsy. Nowadays there are a lot of methods to treat moderate and severe cervical lesions such as laser therapy, cryotherapy, cone biopsy, electrosurgical excision. In order to determine the management and an adequate treatment for patients with cervical lesions, health care providers need to evaluate a lot of factors: presence of HPV infection, immune system and general health status, medical history of the patient and many others. In comparison with mild cervical dysplasia, more advanced forms of dysplasia have fewer chances for regression.