Center for Oncological Prevention

Center for Oncological Prevention (COP) of the Ambicare clinic focuses on the diagnosis and treatment of precancerous changes in the vulva and the internal parts of women’s genitalia (vagina, uterine throat, uterus, ovaries).

Our patients are sent to a specialized outpatient clinic in agreement with the treating gynecologist. A large percentage of clients are women with abnormal findings on the cervix before or during menopause. The most common reason for examinations at the center of oncological prevention is: abnormal cytological or colposcopic findings and family history of cervical cancer. Our physicians always follow the latest guidelines for cervical pathology and hold the functional license F017 for expert colposcopy.

We always try to explain the issue to the patient as much as we can and propose the best solution. If necessary, we can provide follow-up surgical treatment at the Královské Vinohrady Teaching Hospital or at the Institute for the Care of Mother and Child, Prague 4, Podolí. In the hospital, we perform surgical procedures of precancerous conditions of cervical cancer – cervical conization (cervical cone biopsy). After successful treatment, the patient is returned into the care of her attending physician.

Diseases of the external genitalia and cervix

Precancerous states - the states preceding cervical cancer – are a serious illness caused primarily by high-risk HPV infection. The diagnosis of the disease depends on a good diagnostic method, such as: expert colposcopy, cervical cytology and HPV testing. Furthermore, if necessary and if we suspect cervical cancer, we can use histological tissue examination - a biopsy.

The predisposing states can be divided into two basic groups:

low grade lesions – minor changes in the cervix where surgery is not always necessary
high grade lesions – major changes, where surgery is required

Each therapeutic decision is always individual with respect to the patient's age, planned pregnancy, childbirth, or a positive family history of cervical cancer.

Biopsy

A painless sampling of a small sample of tissue directly from the cervix is done outpatient, possibly in local anesthesia. The tissue sample is then sent to the laboratory for histological examination. Even this invasive examination is performed in our expert outpatient colposcopy – Gynecology, Prague 4, Ambicare.

Cytology

Cytology is a basic outpatient screening method to prevent cervical cancer. It is done once a year and is recommended before and after pregnancy. Together with colposcopy, this major part of preventive screening is available to women of all ages, including menopausal women. The collection is performed with a brush from the surface of the cervix, and the samples are sent to the cytology laboratory for a microscopic analysis.

LBC cytology

Gynecology, Prague 4, Ambicare, also performs LBC cytology. What is LBC cytology? LBC cytology, or liquid based cytology, is an “extended” cytology into a liquid medium. This method is also painless. It is part of gynecological prevention performed outpatient at least once a year. The cells removed from the cervix are sent to the Bioptical Laboratory in Pilsen, where a detailed computer analysis of the sample is carried out, including an analysis by a pathological cytologist - a specialist physician. LBC cytology is more sensitive and more accurate than conventional cytology "on a slide", and because of the system of sample processing and control, the risk of "overlooking" major changes in the cervix is minimal.

HPV infection (human papillomavirus infection)

Human papillomavirus infection is a sexually transmitted disease that affects approximately 80% of women during their lifetime. Due to the short biological clearance of the virus, the infection is mostly only transient. 98% of cervical cancer is caused by high-risk HPV infection.