Cervical Cancer Treatment (PDQ®): Treatment - Health Professional Information [NCI]-General Informat
Cervical Cancer Treatment (PDQ®): Treatment - Health Professional Information [NCI]-General Information About Cervical Cancer
Cervical Cancer Treatment (PDQ®): Treatment - Health Professional Information [NCI] Guide
Clinical Features
Early cervical cancer may not cause noticeable signs or symptoms.
Possible signs and symptoms of cervical cancer include the following:
Diagnosis
The following procedures may be used to diagnose cervical cancer:
HPV testing
Cervical cytology (Pap smear) has been the mainstay of cervical cancer screening since its introduction. However, molecular techniques for the identification of HPV DNA are highly sensitive and specific. Current screening options include the following:
HPV testing is suggested when it is likely to successfully triage patients into low- and high-risk groups for a high-grade dysplasia or greater lesion.
HPV DNA tests are unlikely to separate patients with low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions into those who do and those who do not need further evaluation. A study of 642 women found that 83% had one or more tumorigenic HPV types when cervical cytologic specimens were assayed by a sensitive (hybrid capture) technique.[15] The authors of the study and of an accompanying editorial concluded that using HPV DNA testing in this setting does not add sufficient information to justify its cost.[15]
HPV DNA testing has proven useful in triaging patients with atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance to colposcopy and has been integrated into current screening guidelines.[15,16,17]
Other studies show that patients with low-risk cytology and high-risk HPV infection with types 16, 18, and 31 are more likely to have CIN or microinvasive histopathology on biopsy.[6,18,19,20] One method has also shown that integration of HPV types 16 and 18 into the genome, leading to transcription of viral and cellular messages, may predict patients who are at greater risk for high-grade dysplasia and invasive cancer.[21]
For women older than 30 years who are more likely to have persistent HPV infection, HPV typing can successfully triage women into high- and low-risk groups for CIN 3 or worse disease. In this age group, HPV DNA testing is more effective than cytology alone in predicting the risk of developing CIN 3 or worse.[22] Other studies have shown the effectiveness of a primary HPV DNA-screening strategy with cytology triage over the previously used cytology-based screening algorithms.[23,24]
Cervical Cancer Treatment (PDQ®): Treatment - Health Professional Information [NCI] - General Information About Cervical Cancer
Cervical Cancer Treatment (PDQ®): Treatment - Health Professional Information [NCI] Guide
- General Information About Cervical Cancer
- Cellular Classification of Cervical Cancer
- Stage Information for Cervical Cancer
- Treatment Option Overview for Cervical Cancer
- In Situ Cervical Cancer Treatment
- Stage IA Cervical Cancer Treatment
- Stages IB and IIA Cervical Cancer Treatment
- Stages IIB, III, and IVA Cervical Cancer Treatment
- Stage IVB Cervical Cancer Treatment
- Recurrent Cervical Cancer Treatment
- Cervical Cancer During Pregnancy
- Changes to This Summary (10 / 23 / 2014)
- About This PDQ Summary
- Get More Information From NCI
Clinical Features
Early cervical cancer may not cause noticeable signs or symptoms.
Possible signs and symptoms of cervical cancer include the following:
- Vaginal bleeding.
- Unusual vaginal discharge.
- Pelvic pain.
- Dyspareunia.
- Postcoital bleeding.
Diagnosis
The following procedures may be used to diagnose cervical cancer:
- History and physical exam.
- Pelvic exam.
- Cervical cytology (Pap smear).
- HPV test.
- Endocervical curettage.
- Colposcopy.
- Biopsy.
HPV testing
Cervical cytology (Pap smear) has been the mainstay of cervical cancer screening since its introduction. However, molecular techniques for the identification of HPV DNA are highly sensitive and specific. Current screening options include the following:
- Cytology alone.
- Cytology and HPV testing.
HPV testing is suggested when it is likely to successfully triage patients into low- and high-risk groups for a high-grade dysplasia or greater lesion.
HPV DNA tests are unlikely to separate patients with low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions into those who do and those who do not need further evaluation. A study of 642 women found that 83% had one or more tumorigenic HPV types when cervical cytologic specimens were assayed by a sensitive (hybrid capture) technique.[15] The authors of the study and of an accompanying editorial concluded that using HPV DNA testing in this setting does not add sufficient information to justify its cost.[15]
HPV DNA testing has proven useful in triaging patients with atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance to colposcopy and has been integrated into current screening guidelines.[15,16,17]
Other studies show that patients with low-risk cytology and high-risk HPV infection with types 16, 18, and 31 are more likely to have CIN or microinvasive histopathology on biopsy.[6,18,19,20] One method has also shown that integration of HPV types 16 and 18 into the genome, leading to transcription of viral and cellular messages, may predict patients who are at greater risk for high-grade dysplasia and invasive cancer.[21]
For women older than 30 years who are more likely to have persistent HPV infection, HPV typing can successfully triage women into high- and low-risk groups for CIN 3 or worse disease. In this age group, HPV DNA testing is more effective than cytology alone in predicting the risk of developing CIN 3 or worse.[22] Other studies have shown the effectiveness of a primary HPV DNA-screening strategy with cytology triage over the previously used cytology-based screening algorithms.[23,24]
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