Home / Training / Manuals / Using HPV tests for cervical cancer screening and managing HPV-positive women – a practical online guide / Learning

Using HPV tests for cervical cancer screening and managing HPV-positive women – a practical online guide

Filter by language: English / Français / Español

Physiological changes of the cervical epithelium – Congenital transformation zone (CTZ)

  


Click on the pictures to magnify and display the legends


The congenital transformation zone (CTZ) is a variant of intrauterine squamous metaplasia in which there is excessive maturation of the superficial layers of the squamous epithelium and incomplete maturation of the deeper layers. This is a deviation from the normal metaplastic process in utero and does not have any neoplastic potential. The condition is seen in 3–5% of young women. The condition is visible only while performing VIA or colposcopy. No treatment is required, and these changes disappear with age. After application of acetic acid to the cervix, the CTZ appears as a large oblong (lozenge-shaped) thin acetowhite area. The white patch often extends from the anterior fornix to the posterior fornix of the vagina.





The next section discusses the genesis of cervical cancer.


































































  
IARC, 150 Cours Albert Thomas, 69372 Lyon CEDEX 08, France - Tel: +33 (0)4 72 73 84 85 - Fax: +33 (0)4 72 73 85 75
© IARC 2024 - All Rights Reserved.