Cancer Cérvico Uterino en la Tercera Edad: P. del Río, 2005-2008

with the purpose of analyzing the state of the art in cervical cancer and precursor lesions a review of articles and research papers on the topic of the last five years was performed. other original papers and articles considering level i-ii of medical evidence were reviewed. the medical literatures browsed on line were published on: cochrane, dynamed, evidence-based medicine updates, new england journal of medicine, j clinical oncology, medscape, pubmed, and the international agency of cancer in france. the following aspects were revised: definitions, epidemiology, etiology, risk factors, cytology, colposcopy, histopathology, classification, clinical stages, treatments, prevention, health promotion and social problems. cervical cancer is a preventable and curable disease, which is sexually transmitted by human papillomavirus having an annual higher incidence and prevalence; despite the screening programs it is still a health problem. alternatives of screening are needed and they should be adequate to the local necessities, establishing a sustainable prevention and treatment to diminish the social and economic burden derived from this problem.