A neglected lesbian health concern: cervical neoplasia

Many health care providers believe that lesbian women do not need routine Papanicolaou smears. This erroneous assumption fails to recognize that the majority of lesbian women have had prior heterosexual relationships and thus may be at risk for developing cervical neoplasia. The following case report describes a lesbian woman who denied prior heterosexual intercourse but who developed cervical intraepithelial neoplasia grade 2 (CIN 2) associated with a high oncogenic risk human papillomavirus (HPV) type. Sexual contact with multiple lesbian partners who had previous heterosexual relationships likely explains her cervical disease.