Cervical cancer is the third most common gynecologic malignancy, hi the United States, it is anticipated that 13,000 new cases of cervical cancer will be diagnosed in 2002, and 4100 deaths will be attributed to the disease [1].
In the past few decades, introduction of screening with the Papanicolaou (Pap) smear has resulted in a declining incidence of and mortality from invasive squamous carcinoma of the cervix [1]. The relative incidence of ade-nocarcinoma, on the other hand, has increased because it is less readily detected by exfolia-tive cytology obtained with the Pap smear [2]. Epidemiologic studies have identified several
potential risk factors in cervical cancer that include early sexual activity, especially with multiple partners, cigarette smoking, immuno-suppression, and infection with human papil-lomaviruses 16 and 18 [3].