[Natural history of precursor lesions of cervical cancer]

Precursor lesions of invasive cancer of uterine cervix begin at the squamocolumnar junction. On this zone in permanent transformation, human papillomavirus (HPV) gives condylomatous lesions, pure or associated with neoplasic transformation of the epithelium. For 50 years, various histological classifications have been proposed. First, four groups have been designed: light, moderate, severe dysplasia and in situ carcinoma. Secondly, Richart proposed the cervix intraepithelial neoplasia classification (CIN) with three grades (1 to 3) according to their severity. Progression from CIN 1 to CIN 3 and invasive carcinoma is admitted and is consistent with the concept of lesional continuum. However, because of the elevated rate of spontaneous regression of CIN 1, it is probably a lesion of very low potential aggressivity and its role as a precursor is uncertain. Now two groups of different evolutivity are currently considered: low grade and high grade lesions. The last one's, at the opposite of the first, are monoclonal, have major epithelial abnormalities with sometimes abnormal mitoses and are frequently aneuploid. Aggressivity depends on the persistence of HR HPV more than on progressive morphologic transformation. By integrating in-host genoma, it induces modifications on cellular cycle proteins. Revelation by immunohistochemistry brings help to diagnosis of high grade lesions when traditional morphology is ambiguous.