Cervical cancer is the second most frequent malignancy of women in the world.<sup>1 Campion M.J., Ferris D.G., DiPaolo F. , e al.   Modern Colposcopy: A Practical Approach GA: Educational Systems (1991). 

Cliccare qui per andare alla sezione Riferimenti</sup> Cervical neoplasia imposes an insidious hazard for young and older women. Eventual deleterious effects may range from infertility and sterility to death. Cervical cancer screening programs based on the Papanicolaou (Pap) smear have reduced the incidence of cervical cancer substantially when implemented. This has been achieved by identifying women with premalignant cervical disease nearly universally amenable to conservative treatment. To select the correct definitive treatment, a comprehensive assessment of the cervix must be performed to obtain a histologic specimen reflecting the state of disease. In the past, little pretreatment assessment was done, and only a rather large portion of the cervix or entire uterus was removed surgically to derive a clinical diagnosis. In the 1920s, a German physician observed that critical magnified examination of the cervical epithelium using a crude magnifying device enabled detection of certain features collectively predictive of neoplasia. This examination of the cervix became known as colposcopy. During this era clinicians delivered a large portion of cervical tissue (the majority likely being normal) to the pathologist in hopes that it contained the offending disease. By using colposcopy in contrast, clinicians were able to detect and sample selectively minute histologic specimens of the worst disease, thereby sparing needless removal of normal tissue. Such an approach requires an understanding of the appearances of normal and abnormal cervical tissue and the ability to differentiate between the two reliably. Colposcopists also must be able to discriminate among the various levels of severity of cervical neoplasia. The cognitive skill of the colposcopist ensures that a representative sample of the worst disease is provided to the pathologist to make the correct clinical diagnosis. A directed sampling method before treatment also minimizes the morbidity and potential errors experienced with more liberal and aggressive surgery.<sup>6 Ferris D.G., Hainer B.L., Pfenninger J.L. , e al. "See and treat" electrosurgical loop excision of the cervical transformation zone J Fam Pract 1996 ;  42 : 253-257

Cliccare qui per andare alla sezione Riferimenti</sup> The contemporary practice of colposcopy has improved lower genital tract disease care for women greatly.