Cytopathology

Biography

Biography: Jacinto da Costa Silva Neto

Abstract

Cervical cancer is the third most common type of cancer among women worldwide. The infection and persistence of human papillomavirus (HPV) is the essential condition for this type of disease. However, only HPV infection is not enough for cervical pathogenesis are necessary cofactors and activation of intracellular and extracellular mechanisms to start and continue the process of progression of cervical lesions, such as the action of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP), one family endopeptidases capable of digesting the extracellular matrix components, basement membrane and induce tumor growth factors, leading to invasion and metastasis. Although much studied little is known about the specific mechanisms of MMPs in cervical lesions and its association with high-risk HPV oncoproteins. MMPs are important both for their role in carcinogenesis, as it constitutes potential markers for detection and analysis of prognostic and predictive of cervical lesions. This is because the initial intraepithelial lesions overexpressing certain MMPs tend to progress to invasion. Obtaining material for analysis of MMPs can be made by cytological brushed at the time of collection of the Pap smear or colposcopy as well as biopsies. Further study of the incidence of the polymorphisms of the MMP genes is also an additional form of predictive analysis in patients with cervical intraepithelial lesions.