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Dysplasia or Cervical Intraepithelial Neoplasia (CIN)

Dysplasia or Cervical Intraepithelial Neoplasia (CIN)

Cervical Dysplasia -- also called Cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) is the term for abnormal -- and possibly precancerous -- changes in cells on the surface of the cervix.

The cervix is the lower part of the uterus. Both the uterus and the cervix are located in the pelvis and are close to the upper part of the vagina and the ovaries. In fact, the cervix connects the uterus and the vagina. The vagina leads to the outside of the body.

Michigan Medicine doctor Diane Harper talks about human papillomavirus or HPV. Dr. Harper is a family medicine physician scientist and the physician director of the Rogel Cancer Center’s community outreach program. She is internationally recognized as a clinical research expert in HPV associated diseases, their prevention, early detection and treatment for the prevention of cancer.   Understanding HPV transcript

The surface of the cervix is made up of two different types of cells, squamous epithelial cells (the lining cells of the outer part of the cervix, or ectocervix) and columnar epithelial cells (the lining cells of the inner part of the cervix, or endocervix).

Pap tests can detect precancerous and cancerous conditions by collecting cells from the surface of the cervix. Sometimes these cells appear abnormal, or atypical, when looked at under a microscope, but they are not completely cancerous. These are called premalignant or precancerous cells, which means they might turn into cancer if not found and treated early enough. These precancerous lesions are commonly called cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN).

The Human Papillomavirus (HPV is almost always the cause for cervical dysplasia.

Treatment Options for Dysplasia or CIN

Women diagnosed with Dysplasia or CIN are seen in our Colposcopy Clinic. For more information, please call 734-763-6295 (Monday-Friday, 8am-5pm EST).

Still have questions?

The nurses at Cancer AnswerLine™ have answers. Call 1-800-865-1125 and you'll get a personal response from one of our registered nurses, who have years of experience in caring for people with cancer.