Glossary

Term	Explanation
acetic acid	Acetic acid (when dilute is vinegar) is used as a wash in colposcopy to remove mucous from the surface of the cervix and ad also as a test (3 to 5%) to highlight abnormal areas in the cervix.
ARTISTIC	A Randomised Trial In Screening To Improve Cytology
atypical	Atypical means abnormal or irregular.
benign tumour	A benign tumor is non-malignant or not cancerous. Benign tumours do not spread via the blood or lymphatic systems. Treatment or removal usually results in a cure.
biopsy	A biopsy is the removal of a sample of tissue followed by microscopic examination by a pathologist to see whether cancer cells are present.
borderline smear	A borderline smear means that there is a slight abnormality of the cells of unknown significance.
cervical dysplasia	Cervical Dysplasia is the presence of abnormal cells on the surface of the area known as the cervix. It is important to note that dysplasia is not cancer but if it is left untreated may develop at a future time into cervical cancer. Dysplasia can be graded into mild, moderate and severe.
CGIN	CGIN means cervical glandular intraepithelial neoplasia
CIN1	CIN 1 means one third of the thickness of the skin covering the cervix has abnormal cells.
CIN2	CIN 2 means two thirds of the thickness of the skin covering the cervix has abnormal cells.
CIN3	CIN 3 means the full thickness of the skin covering the cervix has abnormal cells.
clitoris	The clitoris is a small organ under a fold of skin at the top of the vulva. The external part is about the size of a pea. When stimulated during sexual arousal it will swell with blood and can produce feelings of sexual pleasure.
colposcope	A colposcope is a large, electric microscope that magnifies the surface of the cervix 10 to 40 times its normal size. A bright light on the end of the colposcope makes it possible for the colposcopist to examine your cervix and help identify areas on the surface that show abnormalities.
colposcopist	A colposcopist is a nurse or a doctor who has undergone specialist training and assessment for colposcopy examinations and treatments.
CRISP-1	Cervical Randomised Intervention Study Protocol. An investigation into the effects of Diindolylmethane (BioResponseDIM) supplementation in women with low grade cervical cytological abnormalities.
CTCR-CE 01	Dynamic contrast enhanced MRI in combination with tumour molecular profiling as predictors of radiation response in cervix cancer.
CXII	Phase II study of weekly neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by radical chemoradiation for locally advanced cervical cancer.
cytology	Cytology is the study of cell structure.
diathermy	Diathermy is the use of high frequency electric current to produce heat.
dyskaryosis	Dyskaryosis means ' bad nucleus' in Greek, which similar to CIN and dysplasia means that the nuclei of the cells seen on the smear show an abnormality.
dysplasia	Dysplasia, also known as Dyskaryosis is the presence of abnormal cells on the surface of the area known as the cervix. It is important to remember that dysplasia is not cancer but if left undetected and thus untreated may develop into cervical cancer over a period of years. Almost all dysplasia of the cervix is caused by HPV.
ectocervix	The ectocervix is the portion of the cervix extending into the vagina and is lined with stratified squamous epithelium.
endocervical canal	The endocervcial canal is passageway between the external os and the uterine cavity. It varies widely in length and width, along with the cervix overall. Flattened anterior to posterior, the endocervical canal measures 7 to 8 mm at its widest in reproductive-aged women.
endocervix	The endocervix is the opening to the uterus or womb.
epithelium	Epithelium is a thin layer of tightly packed cells which line internal cavities, ducts and organs. It also covers exposed bodily surfaces.
EUA	Examination under anaesthetic
histology	Histology is the study of tissues and cells under a microscope.
iodine solution	Lugol’s iodine, also known as Lugol's solution is named after French physician J.G.A. Lugol and is often used as an antiseptic and disinfectant. It is used in colposcopy usually in combination with acetic acid to facilitate the identifiaction of pre-cancerous changes in cells in the cervix.
LLETZ loop	A LLETZ loop is a procedure undertaken to diagnose and treat an area of abnormality in one procedure. The area of abnormality is visualized using a colposcope during a colposcopy examination and then removed (usually under local anaesthetic). The tissue sample will sent for examination by a pathologist who will report on the type of abnormality present in the specimen and whether the sample has 'clear margins' i.e. it looks as if the area of abnormality has been removed in its entirety.
malignant tumour	A malignant tumour is a group of cancer cells. These cells which grow uncontrollably will, if untreated, invade surrounding tissues and spread to distant parts of the body, setting up new cancer tumours, a process called metastasis.
metastases	Metastases describes the presence of disease that has originated from one organ or part of the body and is found in another not directly connected with it.
MAVERIC	Manual Assessment Versus Automated Reading in Cytology
ovaries	Ovaries are a pair of organs (each about the size of an almond) in a woman's pelvis. They produce follicles from which eggs develop and when fertilised mean a woman is pregnant.
pelvis	The pelvis is the area within the bony structure that includes the hip bones, in the lower part of the abdomen.
Schiller test	The Schiller Test is a test in which an iodine solution (either Lugol’s or Schiller’ is applied to the cervix. The iodine colours healthy cells brown; abnormal cells can remain unstained, usually appearing white or yellow.
SCOTCERV	A Phase II Study of Docetaxel and Gemcitabine as Second Line Chemotherapy in Cervical Cancer.
SLIPER	Development of an integrated clinical assessment strategy for women receiving pelvic radiotherapy.
speculum	A speculum is an instrument used to hold open the vaginal canal in order to view and examine the cervix.
transformation zone	The Transformation Zone of the cervix is the most common place on the cervix for abnormal cells to develop and the area where abnormal cells can be detected by cervical screening. The location of the transformation zone varies among women. In teenage girls, the transformation zone is on the immature cervix's outer surface and is more susceptible to infection than in adult women. In older women, the transformation zone may be higher in the cervical canal.
tumour	A tumour is an abnormal mass of tissue that results from excessive cell division that is uncontrolled and progressive, also called a neoplasm. Tumours perform no useful body function and may either be benign or malignant.
uterus	The uterus, more commonly known as the womb is where a baby develops during pregnancy. It sits between the bladder and the rectum in a woman's pelvis.
vagina	The vagina is the canal leading from the vulva to the cervix.
vault or vaginal smear	A vault or vaginal smear is similar to a cervical smear except that the cell samples are taken from high up in your vagina. If your womb and cervix were removed for a benign (non-cancerous) condition, such as fibroids or heavy bleeding, you do not need to have any more smear tests.
vulva	The vulva is the area surrounding the opening of the vagina. It includes the inner and outer vaginal lips (the labia) and the clitoris.

Last Updated: 02 Oct 2007

Walk for Fun Photographs

Walk in the park for cancer - Newham Recorder

Trust's first cancer event exceeds all expectations - Chronicle & Echo

Thank you most sincerely to everyone who participated in Jo's Trust first 'Walk for Fun'!

Pamela Morton's interview - BBC Breakfast News

'Be cervix savvy'
Cervical screening advertisement produced by Camden PCT and Jo's Trust

HPV Testing Offers Women Protection For Twice As Long As Smear Testing - Science Daily

Son's Olympic dream spurs on cancer mum - Suffolk and Essex online

Glossary

Term

Explanation