2nd ed. By Albert Singer, John M Monaghan. £135.00; Pp 323. Oxford: Blackwell Science, 2000. ISBN 0632047690.

It is 6 years since the first edition of this book and the expansion in knowledge about lower genital tract precancer is reflected in the addition of an assistant and a contributing author, as well as an increase in the number of pages (from 254 in the first edition to 323 in the present one).

The extra input and space has been used to maximal effect with the book losing none of its attractions of appearance, content, and even texture by its use of high quality paper.

The addition of a chapter on the role of human papilloma virus in lower genital tract neoplasia makes the book more rounded. This chapter is comprehensive as well as excellently presented and very up to date. I appreciated the section on the role of oncogenic HPV detection in the prevention of lower genital tract precancer, although this naturally concerned CIN rather than VIN or VaIN.

I would have preferred chapter 5 (Cytology and screening for cervical precancer) to follow chapter 2 (HPV in the pathogenesis of lower genital tract neoplasia) and then the more practical aspects of colposcopy itself would not be interrupted. This is a small criticism of an otherwise comprehensive and logical content.

The chapter on the management of cervical precancer is a delight to read and see, with the section devoted to HIV positive women reflecting most shades of reliable opinion in this developing field. HIV is again included in the chapter on VIN.

GU colposcopists will be particularly interested in the final chapters on infective conditions causing confusion in diagnosis of lower genital tract precancer. It is easy to quibble with some the statements of management of the infections noted (cervical warts do not even merit a mention of treatment) but that is not the remit of the book.

The illustrations are gorgeous throughout and the line drawings are used to very good effect. The overassiduous book critic might mention the data left on some colposcopic photographs, the venerable laser machine showed on page 171 and whether the speculum is correctly placed on page 36, but not me.

This is a “must buy.” It's a big book (in size, content, and price) which should form the nucleus of the colposcopist's library.