However, with chronic exposure to exogenous 17 beta-estradiol combined with persistent oncogenic expression of HPV 16, it was demonstrated that benign epithelial hyperplasia acquired the ability to transform into neoplastic tissue in the cervix and vagina.25Also in transgenic mouse models, the removal of exogenous estrogen has been shown to lead to decreased progression or regression of pre-existing cervical neoplastic disease.26According to Chung et al. (2008), the estrogen alpha receptor (ER) is one present in the cervix. Here, ESR1 is linked to hyperplasia.