title: HPV and precancerous lesions of anal canal in women: systematic review.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The infection caused by human papillomavirus (HPV) in the anogenital area is considered the most common sexually transmitted infection in the world. Although anal cancer is relatively uncommon in the general population, there has been a significant increase in incidence in recent years. In this review, we focused on research on anal lesions in women.
  
  
  METHODS
  Research on HPV and precancerous lesions of the anal canal was examined by a systematic literature review in the Cochrane Centre of Brazil, where 1,734 publications were identified in the databases Scielo Brazil, Pubmed, Lilac, Medline, and Old Medline, for the period 1966 to 2010. We selected two papers, published in 1994 and 2009, based on the inclusion-exclusion criteria.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The first paper refers to the study of the anal canal in HIV-negative women with previous genital pathology and its relationship to the presence of HPV, and the other compares two groups of women who are HIV+ and HIV- and its relationship with anal disease and HPV.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The existence of previous genital neoplasia associated with HPV promotes the development of anal lesions, especially in younger patients, and a poor immune status contributes to the appearance of this pathologic finding.
authors.affiliation: Pelvis Department, Cancer Hospital of Pernambuco, Av. Cruz Cabugá, 1597-Santo Amaro, Recife, Pernambuco, P.O. Box 50040-000, Brazil. castor@smartsat.com.br
authors.forename: Maria das Graças F C
authors.initials: Md
authors.lastname: Castor
authors.forename: Hilton Justino
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: da Silva
authors.forename: Danyelly Bruneska
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: Gondim Martins
authors.forename: Roberto José Vieira
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: de Mello
mesh_terms: D001005:Anus Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology*; D002278:Carcinoma in Situ / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology*; D005260:Female; D006679:HIV Seropositivity / Q000150:complications; D052162:Human papillomavirus 16; D006801:Humans; D030361:Papillomavirus Infections / Q000821:virology*; D011230:Precancerous Conditions / Q000821:virology*; D002578:Uterine Cervical Dysplasia / Q000821:virology