Cervical thickening. Light micrograph of a section through the thickened mucous membrane (dark purple, left) of a cervix (neck of the womb). Normal epithelium is at right. This condition, known as leukoplakia, occurs in 1% of elderly women. Its cause is unknown, and it does not usually result in any symptoms. It can become malignant (cancerous), at which point the patches are removed under a local anaesthetic.