This page was reviewed under our medical and editorial policy by
Ruchi Garg, MD, Chair, Gynecologic Oncology, City of Hope Atlanta, Chicago and Phoenix
This page was reviewed on January 21, 2022.
The cervix is the lower portion of the uterus that connects to the vagina. Changes to the cells that line the cervix can be early precursors to cervical cancer, which happens when abnormal cells begin to grow and spread in an uncontrolled manner. Cervical dysplasia isn’t cancer, but treating it may help you prevent cervical cancer from developing in the future.
Precancerous cervical cell changes are referred to as cervical dysplasia, cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) and squamous intraepithelial lesion (SIL). All cervical cancers begin with these cellular changes, but not all women with cervical dysplasia will go on to develop cancer. In most cases, cervical dysplasia resolves on its own without treatment. In some instances cervical dysplasia must be treated. The good news is treatment almost always prevents cervical cancer from forming.
After cervical cell samples are evaluated in a laboratory, cervical dysplasia is ranked from 1 to 3 on a scale of increasing severity, and the cervical dysplasia stages may be described as mild, moderate or severe.
The most common cause of cervical dysplasia is the human papillomavirus. Also known as HPV, this is a prevalent sexually transmitted virus, spreading from person to person during skin-to-skin sexual contact. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 91 percent of all cervical cancers are caused by HPV.
The CDC reports that at least 80 percent of women will have had HPV by age 50. And the American Cancer Society notes that there are more than 150 strains of HPV—14 of which are known to cause cervical cancer.
Although most cases of HPV go away on their own within two years, sometimes your body’s immune system is unable to fight off the infection, and it causes cervical dysplasia. The most common type of cervical cancer-causing HPV is HPV 16, which accounts for about half of all cervical cancers caused by this virus. Others include HPV 18, 31, 33, 35, 39, 45, 51, 52, 56, 58, 59, 66 and 68.
Several risk factors may increase your odds of developing cervical dysplasia, including:
Typically, there are no symptoms associated with cervical dysplasia, so it’s important to undergo regular Pap tests or cervical cancer screenings on a schedule recommended by your doctor so your care team can monitor for cervical dysplasia and look for signs of cervical cancer.
HPV testing will likely also be performed at this time. During a Pap test, your doctor will collect a sample—or smear—of cervical cells to be checked for abnormalities. If any are found, further testing may be recommended. Because cervical cancer is slow-growing, precancerous changes are usually caught early.
If dysplasia has advanced to cervical cancer, you may experience symptoms such as:
Abnormal changes to cervical cells may be detected through a Pap smear. Cells that are collected during a Pap test are viewed microscopically in order to determine if cervical dysplasia is present. Cellular changes to the cervix are characterized in the following ways:
In cases of mild dysplasia, your doctor will likely monitor with future Pap tests or may refer for further testing with colposcopy. If the dysplasia is more severe, usually colposcopy is recommended. During a colposcopy, an instrument called a colposcope is used to view the cells more closely, and a biopsy of the area of concern may be taken.
Dysplasia results from a biopsy are referred to as cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) and categorized as follows:
These terms can be a handful. Your doctor can help you understand what your results mean. Always ask questions. This can help you share decision-making with your care team.
Most often, mild cervical dysplasia will go away on its own without treatment. However, in more severe cases, treatment may be recommended. Treatment for cervical dysplasia may consist of: