Cervical Dysplasia Center

 
The Johns Hopkins Cervical Dysplasia Center focuses on the management and prevention of cervical HPV disease. If you have had an abnormal Pap smear, obstetricians and gynecologists at our center are available for gynecologic checkups and second opinion visits, as well as evaluation to determine if you are a good candidate for clinical trial participation.

Request An Appointment

Before making an appointment, please fax a copy of your most recent pathology report to 443-769-1205. Then, call 443-997-0400 to get set up in the Johns Hopkins system.
Once you are in the system and have your records sent, you can contact our office below to set up an appointment:

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What Is Cervical Dysplasia?

Cropped image of a female torso.

The cervix is the lower, narrow part of the uterus (womb) located between the bladder and the rectum. It forms a canal that opens into the vagina, which leads to the outside of the body.

Cervical dysplasia is the abnormal growth of cells on the surface of the cervix. Considered a precancerous condition, it is caused by a sexually transmitted infection with a common virus, the Human Papillomavirus (HPV). Cervical dysplasia affects between 250,000 and one million women throughout the United States every year. Though women of any age can develop cervical dysplasia, the condition occurs most frequently in those between ages 25 and 35. With proper management and treatment, the condition may revert or improve before becoming cancerous. Although doctors have been able to screen for cervical cancer for more than half a century, it is the second leading cause of cancer deaths among women.

Cervical cancer, or invasive cervical cancer, occurs when abnormal cells on the surface of the cervix spread deeper into the cervix, or to other tissues or organs. Cervical cancer occurs most often in women over the age of 40. It is different from cancer that begins in other parts of the uterus and requires different treatment. Most cervical cancers are squamous cell carcinomas and adenocarcinomas.

Sexual Function and Fertility

Preventing HPV and Cervical Disease

Diagnosis and Screening

All women who are or have been sexually active, or are age 18 or older, should have regular gynecological checkups, including a pelvic exam and Pap test, to detect any abnormal changes to the cervix as early as possible. As with many types of cancer, cervical cancer is more likely to be successfully treated if it is detected early. Pap tests can also detect inflammation caused by yeast infections; bacterial infections such as  trichonomas, gonorrhea, or Chlamydia; other viruses; medications or other chemicals; hormones; and pregnancy. 

The link between HPV and cervical cancer is bigger than the link between smoking and lung cancer."

-Dr. Connie Trimble, in her TedX Talk, Kicking Cancer's Butt
Dr. Connie Trimble

Research and Clinical Trials

We are interested in how immune responses occur in the cervix. The focus of our translational research is on developing immune therapies for disease caused by human papillomavirus (HPV). HPV infection causes more cancers than any other virus in the world.

Cervical cancer is the most common cancer caused by HPV, and although we have known how to screen for it for over half a century, it remains the second most common cause of cancer death in women. Although the preventive vaccines are a public health milestone, they prevent HPV infections, but are not designed to make immune responses to treat HPV.

We are testing different strategies to make immune responses that could treat HPV disease.

Clinical Trials

Artesunate intravaginal inserts or ointment for the treatment of high grade dysplasia in patients with persistent recurrence of HPV disease of the lower ano-genital tract

OVERVIEW
This is a compassionate use protocol for patients with persistent recurrence of HPV-associated disease of the lower ano-genital tract, and/or who have high grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (HSIL) at multiple body sites after standard-of-care surgical treatments can be enrolled in this expanded-access protocol.

This expanded access protocol includes two categories of patients: (1) patients who have already undergone multiple surgical procedures, and still have recurrence of their high grade dysplasia; and (2) patients who have extensive high grade dysplasia (HSIL) at more than one anatomic site, including vaginal, vulvar, cervical, or peri-anal.

CONTACT

Maria Shay: 410-502-0512 or [email protected]

Johns Hopkins Health Care & Surgery Center — Green Spring Station, Lutherville

10755 Falls Rd, Lutherville, MD 21093

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Billing Services (local): 443-997-3370

Practice Hours

Monday: 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Tuesday: 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Wednesday: 8 a.m. - 7 p.m.
Thursday: 8 a.m. - 7 p.m.
Friday: 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.

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