Cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) is a precancerous condition of the uterine cervix. The cellular changes in the cervix may remain superficial for long periods before progression into invasive cancer. Occasionally CIN may resolve spontaneously. The treatment for CIN is local excision (cone biopsy, loop electrosurgical resection) or ablation of the abnormal tissue using one of the numerous techniques such as laser or cryotherapy (freezing).
When CIN involves the deeper portions of the cervical canal and cannot be completely removed with a cervical cone resection (as evidenced by the pathology examination of the removed cone of tissue) hysterectomy is necessary. When CIN has already progressed to invasive cancer, aggressive treatment (which may include hysterectomy and/or radiation therapy) is required.