Resumo

LEON CRUZ, Grettell  e  FAXAS, María Elena. Cervical cancer: the most relevant immunological and genetic aspects. Rev cubana med [online]. 2004, vol.43, n.1. ISSN 0034-7523.

A review was made on the topic of cervix uteri cancer, a health problem that has not been solved in the world yet. It has been proved that despite the existance of various programs for early detection, the figures of incidence and mortality are still alarming the scientific community from the clinical point of view, since even when the lesion is located, between 15 and 20 % of the patients present recurrences. At the beginning and during the progression of this type of cancer, genetic alterations, alterations of the immune system, and the presence of microorganisms, such as viruses, that bring about the establisment of the tumor, are associated. It has been demonstrated that by epidemiological studies that its main risk factor is the infection caused by the human papilomavirus (HPV). The behavior of the effector mechanisms varies according to the stage and type of the infecting HPV. In this localization, it has been reported the existance of a disbalance in the pattern of interleukins produced by T cells, where the Th1 pattern ( cooperative T-lymphocites) is affected, and reduced levels of interpheron gamma (INF-g) are detected, as well as an increase ofthe interleuking 10 (IL-10) that corresponds with Th2 pattern. These alterations induce disorders in the sequence of changes necessary for the humoral and cellular immune response to be effective.

Palavras-chave : Cervical cancer; Papiloma virus infection; immune system.

        · resumo em Espanhol     · texto em Espanhol     · Espanhol ( pdf )