Etiological concepts in cervical carcinogenesis.

Substantial progress has been made in elucidating the etiology and epidemiological distribution of cervix uteri cancers in women. Foremost among the advances is a clarification of the role of the herpes genitalis virus as a necessary, though not sufficient, causal factor. The epidemiological data in the United States confirm the essential role of exfoliative cytological screening in the successful control of this disease.