The Pathology of Cervical Precancer and Cancer and its importance in clinical practice

Abstract The pathology of cervical neoplasia provides the best model for integrating the morphologic basis for diagnosis with the molecular pathogenesis of human papillomavirus (HPV) induced precancer and cancer. This chapter focuses on the process of clinical screening and diagnosis and how a contemporary understanding of HPV biology informs morphologic diagnostic criteria in both cytology and histopathology. The science has also led to refinement in classification systems and improved diagnostic tests based on HPV and related biomarkers.