2001 Consensus guidelines for the management of women with cervical intraepithelial neoplasia.
OBJECTIVE
To provide consensus guidelines for the management of women with histologically confirmed cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN), which can act as a precursor to invasive cervical cancer and represents one of the most common significant gynecologic diseases of women of reproductive age.


METHODS
An independent panel of 121 experts in various aspects of the diagnosis and management of cervical cancer precursors, including representatives from 29 participating professional organizations, federal agencies, national and international health organizations, and others invited by the American Society for Colposcopy and Cervical Pathology (ASCCP).


METHODS
Guidelines for the management of women with CIN were developed through a multistep process. Working groups, who performed formal literature reviews and obtained input from the professional community at large by way of an interactive Internet-based bulletin board, developed draft management guidelines. At the ASCCP Consensus Conference, September 6-8, 2001, in Bethesda, Maryland, all guidelines were discussed, revised, and adopted by formal vote.


CONCLUSIONS
Evidence-based guidelines have been developed for the management of women with biopsy-confirmed CIN.
Wright
Thomas C
TC
Department of Pathology, College of Physicians and Surgeons of Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA. tcw1@columbia.edu
Cox
J Thomas
JT
Massad
L Stewart
LS
Carlson
Jay
J
Twiggs
Leo B
LB
Wilkinson
Edward J
EJ