Generally, signs and symptoms of cervical cancer include:
abnormal or post-menopausal bleeding
abnormal discharge
changes in bladder or bowel function
pelvic pain on examination
abnormal appearance or palpation of cervix.HPV infection of the vulva and vagina can cause genital warts or be asymptomatic. Causes
The cause of CIN is chronic infection of the cervix with HPV, especially infection with high-risk HPV types 16 or 18. It is thought that the high-risk HPV infections have the ability to inactivate tumor suppressor genes such as the p53 gene and the RB gene, thus allowing the infected cells to grow unchecked and accumulate successive mutations, eventually leading to cancer.Some groups of women have been found to be at a higher risk of developing CIN:
Infection with a high-risk type of HPV, such as 16, 18, 31, or 33
Immunodeficiency (e.g. HIV infection)
Poor diet
Multiple sex partners
Lack of condom use
Cigarette smokingAdditionally, a number of risk factors have been shown to increase an individuals likelihood of developing CIN 3/carcinoma in situ (see below):
Women who give birth before age 17
Women who have > 1 full term pregnancies

Pathophysiology
The earliest microscopic change corresponding to CIN is epithelial dysplasia, or surface lining, of the cervix, which is essentially undetectable by the woman. The majority of these changes occur at the squamocolumnar junction, or transformation zone, an area of unstable cervical epithelium that is prone to abnormal changes. Cellular changes associated with HPV infection, such as koilocytes, are also commonly seen in CIN.
Research needs to be conducted on the efficacy of treatment with stereotactic radiation therapy, especially on the long-term. However, radiotherapy is still being studied as a form of treatment if neurosurgery is too dangerous due to the location of the cavernoma. Genetic researchers are still working on determining the cause of the illness and the mechanism behind blood vessel formation. Clinical trials are being conducted to better assess when it is appropriate to treat a patient with this malformation and with what treatment method. Additionally, long-term studies are being conducted because there is no information related to the long-term outlook of patients with cavernoma. An existing registry known as The International Cavernous Angioma Patient Registry collects information from patients diagnosed with cavernoma in order to facilitate discovery of non-invasive treatments. References
Further reading
External Links
Alliance to Cure Cavernous Malformation [1]"It is our mission to inform, support, and mobilize those affected by cavernous angioma and drive research for better treatments and a cure. We do this by developing and executing strategic, creative, high-return interventions as a model for rare diseases." Cavernoma Alliance UK, "Mission: To work to find a cure for cavernoma, improving treatment and supporting those affected by cavernoma along the way."