Removal of Precancerous Cells not a Cure
Reported November 23, 2005
(Ivanhoe Newswire) — Women undergoing a treatment to remove pre-cancerous cells of the cervix may think they are home free, but a new study points to the contrary.
Researchers from the University Central Hospital in Finland performed a 20-year follow up of women who had surgery to remove pre-cancerous cells. Of the 7,564 women treated over 27 years, 448 women developed cervical cancer. This is 96 more cases than expected based on population studies.
The women in the study all had a procedure known as cervical intraepithelial neoplasia. The procedure removes abnormal cells that could go on to turn into cancer if untreated. The procedure has very successful short-term results, but, until recently, the long-term effect of the procedure has been unknown.
There are three types of procedures — mild, moderate and severe. Women treated with mild and moderate forms of the procedure were most likely to develop cancer. Researchers say it may be that these groups tended to be less likely to have follow-up care than those with more severe forms.
Without treatment, researchers estimate as many as 39 percent of the severe cases would go on to turn into cancer.
Despite improvements in detection and treatment that has led to a 60- to 90-percent decrease in incidence and mortality, cervical cancer still remains one of the leading causes of cancer death among women.
SOURCE: British Medical Journal,2005;331:1183-1185