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NCI Dictionary of Cancer Terms

The NCI Dictionary of Cancer Terms features 8,467 terms related to cancer and medicine.

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low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion
(... SKWAY-mus IN-truh-eh-pih-THEE-lee-ul LEE-zhun)
Slightly abnormal cells are found on the surface of the cervix. Low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion is caused by certain types of human papillomavirus (HPV) and is a common abnormal finding on a Pap test. It usually goes away on its own without treatment but sometimes the abnormal cells become cancer and spread to nearby normal tissue. Low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion is sometimes called mild dysplasia. Also called LSIL.
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Enlarge Cervical changes; drawing shows a cross-section of the uterus, cervix, and vagina. Also shown are four panels showing cell changes inside the cervix. The first panel shows normal cells. The second and third panels show abnormal cells called LSIL and HSIL. The fourth panel shows cervical cancer cells. Arrows are used between the panels to show that normal cells may become LSIL or HSIL, which may or may not become cancer.

Cervical changes. The cervix is the lower, narrow end of the uterus that forms a canal between the uterus and vagina. Before cancer cells form in tissues of the cervix, the cells of the cervix go through abnormal changes called dysplasia. There are different types of dysplasia. Mild dysplasia, called low-grade intraepithelial lesion (LSIL) is one type. Moderate or severe dysplasia, called high-grade intraepithelial lesion (HSIL) is another type of dysplasia. LSIL and HSIL may or may not become cancer.