HVP et cancer : classification des lésions

Persistence of an high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) infection is the principal risk factor associated with an invasive cervical carcinoma. HPV is a necessary but insufficient cause of cervical cancer. It is insufficient because most HPV infections are latent and will regress spontaneously without treatment. In the other hand, HPV is associated with most precancerous and invasive carcinoma. There is a period of 10 years between infection by a high-risk HPV and the development of a cancer. The slow progression of precancerous lesions allows the detection of these lesions before invasion. The screening of precancerous lesions is performed by cytology that detects abnormal modifications classified according to the 2001 Bethesda System. Abnormal cytology leads to a biopsy under colposcopy for a definitive diagnosis. The biopsy gives the diagnosis of a cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN). Only CIN grade 2 and 3 have the potential to progress to an invasive squamous carcinoma. Diagnosis and treatment of these lesions allow cure without metastasis.