Cervical Precancerous Lesions
Cervical cancer evolves through several stages of precancerous lesions and can therefore be prevented by means of organized screening program and effective treatment of precancerous lesions. Persistent infection with high-risk or oncogenic human papillomavirus genotypes has been accepted as the single necessary etiological factor for cervical precancerous lesions and cervical cancer. Histologicaly we divide cervical squamous cell precancerous lesions into three grades; cervical intraepithelial neoplasia of first grade, second grade and third grade. Cervical adenocarcinoma evolves through precancerous lesions of malignantly transformed glandular cells. Cervical precancerous lesions can be prevented by means of limiting sexually transmitted infection with high-risk human papillomavirus genotypes. Prophylactic vaccination against two most commonly encountered human papillomavirus genotypes, 16 and 18, has been introduced recently. Slovenian Guidelines for management of women with cervical precancerous lesions are summarized in the manuscript.