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Editors Intro for Dr. V.C. Wright
Thomas F. Purdon, MD, FACOG

Happy New Year to all! After a brief hiatus, we are now back online again with some of the most up to date and interesting information about “trends” in cervical health and disease that you will find in one easy-to-access location. I am pleased to be able to report that Hologic, our educational sponsor, is committed to helping us with resources to once again put this e-newsletter online. Our goal is to have a new edition online every three to four months each year.

As an example of being current and up to date, one of our articles in this addition is on molecular testing in the cytology laboratory by Michele Smith and Tim Feit. As use of HPV testing is growing, many labs are considering bringing testing in house. Michele and Tim share their thoughts and lessons learned after their successfully implementation of molecular testing.

As you may know, there is a new test FDA approved for typing of HPV 16 and 18. Early consensus opinion on the use of the genotyping test indicates that it will be most useful for testing women over the age of 30 who are cytology negative and HPV-HR positive. We will feature an article in the next edition of Trends on the application of HPV genotyping. We will also have an article reviewing the latest ACOG Practice Bulletin on Cervical Cytology Screening (No. 109) which appeared in the December 2009 edition of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

We are pleased to have the second in a series on Masters in Colposcopy by Dr. V.C. Wright. This is an excellent review for “experts” and a great teaching series for early learners of colposcopic changes of the cervix. The colpo-photographs are outstanding and the content of the material is very thorough. Those of you who are teaching residents should be sure to make them aware of this resource and perhaps even pull it up when you are working in a resident colposcopy clinic situation. It can provide another excellent way to enhance their educational experience. Also be sure to see the first series which was in Volume 6 of Trends in Cervical Health. All previous editions can be accessed from the bottom of the home page.

Also in this edition is an interesting case study by Drs. Paul Norris and Leo Twiggs from the University of Miami, on Colposcopic Grading of Cervical Intraepithelial Neoplasia. Dr. Twiggs also had an article on HPV vaccinations in the 5th edition of Trends.

So, you can see that we have some valuable articles and information planned for 2010. We hope you will enjoy the return of Trends in Cervical Health. If you have other items that you would like to see articles on, please contact us using our online contact form or the survey.

Thomas F. Purdon, MD FACOG
Co-Editor

Editors:
Thomas F. Purdon, MD, FACOG
Clinical Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology
University of Arizona Health Sciences Center, Tucson, Arizona
Consultant, United Community Health Centers of Arizona

Thomas F. Purdon, MD, FACOG
Dr. Thomas F. Purdon is a recent past-president of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), as well as past-president of the advocacy group Ob-Gyns for Women’s Health. He was previously on the governing board for the Jacobs Institute for Women’s Health. His research contributions have been in the areas of hormone therapy, estrogen therapy in surgically induced menopausal women, and dysfunctional uterine bleeding for the Surgical Treatment Outcomes Project. Special interest areas include management of abnormal uterine bleeding, hysteroscopy, and endometrial ablation. Dr. Purdon was an ACOG representative to the 2001 ASCCP Consensus Guidelines Conference held in Bethesda, Maryland.

Given his life-long commitment to improving health outcomes for women, Dr. Purdon speaks frequently to the national medical community on the management of abnormal uterine bleeding, risk assessment strategies for breast cancer, and the continuing controversy over hormone therapy. He also serves as a consultant for United Community Health Centers, a community-based group of primary care clinics in southern Arizona that serves women of all socioeconomic levels.

Dr. Purdon was recently chosen as one of the “ Best Doctors in Tucson,” 2005–2006, by Best Doctors, Inc. and as published in Tucson Lifestyle magazine, and Best Doctors in America 2007–2008. He is frequently asked to speak and conduct surgical teaching sessions on endometrial ablation in the United States as well as in Mexico and Central and South America.