Cytologically detected chlamydial changes and progression of cervical intraepithelial neoplasias. A retrospective case-control study.
Fifty-four patients with Chlamydia-associated changes on the cervical smears, in whom adequate follow-up had been obtained over a two-year period, were investigated. The progression to biopsy-proven cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) III in this group was 42.6%, significantly higher than the 15.8% progression rate noted in a control group of patients with similar cytologic abnormalities but unassociated with Chlamydia. This finding suggests that Chlamydia may be a cocarcinogen or a potentiating agent in the progression of CIN.
D000328:Adult; D002690:Chlamydia Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology; D004848:Epithelium / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D011230:Precancerous Conditions / Q000209:etiology* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology; D012306:Risk; D013997:Time Factors; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology