HPV and Mild Dysplasia

In case a woman has HPV and mild dysplasia, she has more chances to develop cancer of the cervix. HPV infection is frequently spread sexually and affects genital area. One of the most common sites of HPV infection in females is the cervix. HPV infection can initiate abnormal cellular transformations that may be found only through cytological analysis. When abnormally changed cells are detected in tissue of the cervix, the diagnosis is cervical dysplasia. Women with this dysplasia usually require a close medical attention because dysplasia is a precursor of cervical cancer.

It is necessary to identify the stage of the disease if cervical dysplasia has been detected. Based on the amount of the diseased cells in the cervical epithelium, specialists distinguish three stages of dysplasia: mild, moderate and severe. If one third of epithelial cells are affected by the disease, the stage of dysplasia is mild. An involvement of a half or two thirds of epithelial layer means moderate dysplasia. If all cells of the epithelial cells are abnormal, it is the case of severe dysplasia. It is not uncommon that women with HPV and mild dysplasia develop more advanced forms of the disease.

HPV-positive patients are considered to be at a high risk for cancer of the cervix. Cancer of the cervix generally follows dysplasia, especially if dysplasia has persisted for several years. The main risk factor for the progression of dysplasia into cancer is the presence of HPV infection. HPV has been found to be associated with the majority of severe cervical dysplasias and almost all cases of cervical cancers. Therefore, patients diagnosed with cellular abnormalities on the cervix should have an HPV test, since it provides the possibility to determine the chances to develop cervical cancer. The detection of HPV and mild dysplasia means that the doctor should devote more attention to this woman.

The evaluation of cervical tissues status and diagnosis of cervical infectious diseases may be realized by various tests. Abnormal cellular changes are commonly detected through Pap smear. This test includes scrapping cells from the cervical surface and examining obtained cells in the lab for abnormalities. When the result of Pap smear is positive for abnormalities, other diagnostic procedures such as colposcopy, biopsy and HPV test, are prescribed. A positive result of Pap smear may suggest the presence of HPV and mild dysplasia.

Nowadays public health services of many countries devote a lot of attention to cervical cancer prevention programs including Pap smears and HPV testing because these are effective measures to reduce cervical cancer incidence. An early detection of HPV-associated conditions gives an opportunity to prevent the development of cancer. Women diagnosed with HPV and mild dysplasia need to receive an appropriate therapy and medical follow-up.