Cervical cancer is the second most common cancer among women worldwide. This book serves as a concise teaching manual on visual inspection with acetic acid (VIA) and with Lugol's iodine to train health personnel, especially in developing countries, with the aim to detect this disease in the early pre-invasive phase and save women's lives. These two simple low-technology screening tests based on the ability of the trained health-care personnel to detect acetowhite areas, or yellow non-iodine uptake areas, in the cervical transformation zone are being evaluated as potential alternatives to cervical cytology.

For many women in developing countries, such as sub-Saharan Africa, south and south-east Asia, and central and south America, there is a high risk of cervical cancer, but a lack of effective programmes to detect and treat such a problem. This introductory manual is intended to simply the learning of colposcopy (a diagnostic and evaluation method for cervical intraepithelia neoplasia, or cervical cancer).

This colposcopy manual was developed in the context of the cervical cancer screening research studies of the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) and the related technical support provided to national programs. It is thus a highly comprehensive manual, both for the training of new colposcopists and for the continuing education and reorientation of those who are more experienced. This manual offers a valuable learning resource, incorporating recent developments in the understanding of the etiology and pathogenesis of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN), as well as in colposcopy and cervical pathology. Expertise in performing satisfactory, safe, and accurate colposcopic examinations requires high competence in the technical, interpretive, and cognitive aspects, and the capability to develop pragmatic and effective management plans and treatment. This comprehensive and concise manual covers all these aspects and serves as a useful handbook for acquiring the necessary skills for the visual recognition and interpretation of colposcopic findings and for developing the personal and professional attributes required for competence in colposcopy.

Most women who die from cervical cancer, particularly in developing countries, are in the prime of their life. They may be raising children, caring for their family, and contributing to the social and economic life of their town or village. Their death is both a personal tragedy, and a sad and unnecessary loss to their family and their community. Unnecessary, because there is compelling evidence, as this Guide makes clear, that cervical cancer is one of the most preventable and treatable forms of cancer, as long as it is detected early and managed effectively. Unfortunately, the majority of women in developing countries still do not have access to cervical cancer prevention programmes. The consequence is that, often, cervical cancer is not detected until it is too late to be cured. An urgent effort is required if this situation is to be corrected. This Guide is intended to help those responsible for providing services aimed at reducing the burden posed by cervical cancer for women, communities and health systems. It focuses on the knowledge and skills needed by health care providers, at different levels of care.

State-of-the-art guide to colposcopy, directly applicable to clinical practice, updated with the latest nomenclature, staging, classification and evidence-based treatment guidelines.

This volume contains the majority of the invited keynote lectures presented by experts at the Third International Conference on Controversies in Tumor Prevention and Genetics on 12-14 February 2004 in St.Gallen, Switzerland. Together, they reveal the latest findings in oncogenetics and its relations to recent and future developments in primary and secondary tumor prevention, especially in breast, colon and lung cancer. All contributions are written and have been critically reviewed by internationally recognised leaders in the field.

Recoge: 1. Epidemiological guidelines for quality assurance in cervical cancer screening - 2. Methods for screening and diagnosis - 3. Laboratory guidelines and quality assurance practices for cytology - 4. Techniques and quality assurance guidelines for histopathology - 5. Management of abnormal cervical cytology - 6. Key performance indicators - 7. Annexes.