INTRODUCTION:
Cervical cancer is the fourth most common malignancy of the female
reproductive system with over half a million women diagnosed, and over
300,000 deaths attributed to it globally each year1,2. The important risk factors in the genesis of
cervical cancer are early coitarche, infection with high-risk HPV (hr
HPV), other sexually transmitted infections, age > 30
years, multiparity, multiple sexual partners and compromised host
defense 3,4. There are over 40 types of hr HPV
identified as inhabiting the female genital tract that can potentially
cause cervical cancer 5,6. Cervical cancer has a long
precancerous period, during which it may be detected and even
effectively treated 6.
The Bethesda system classifies a continuum of cytological abnormalities
of the premalignant lesion in the Pap smear test. This nomenclature has
replaced the earlier term Cervical Intraepithelial Neoplasia (CIN I, II
and III, progressively riskier for developing cancer) with Squamous
Intraepithelial Neoplasia (SIL), categorizing them into (a) Atypical
Squamous Cells (ASC)-indicator of HPV infection, (b) Low grade Squamous
Intraepithelial Lesion (LSIL) – cervical cells show changes that are
mildly abnormal (c) High grade Squamous Intraepithelial Lesion (HSIL)
cervical cells with severe changes. The ASC category is further divided
into Atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance (ASC-US) and
Atypical squamous cells – cannot exclude HSIL (ASC-H)6-8.
HPV vaccinations, local ablative methods like cryotherapy and cold
coagulation, excisional methods such as large loop excision of the
transformation zone (LLETZ), cone excision and hysterectomy are the
approaches followed by conventional medicine as prevention and treatment
modalities, but they seem to have unfavorable effect especially on the
further reproductive outcomes, even when treated with conserving
fertility as the goal 9. This is of significance as
the average age of women undergoing these treatments coincides with the
average age of first child globally 9.
Previous case reports of homeopathy in cancer cases have provided
evidence for beneficial outcomes from classical homeopathy10. Here, we present a case of LSIL treated with
homeopathy. The approach not only helped the pre-invasive disease but
also improved the comorbidities.