Epidemiology of cervical cancer.

Abstract

Cervical cancer is on the rise worldwide and is estimated to comprise of all cancers the number of new cases of cervical cancer per year is around 465000. 20% of these cases occur in developed countries with 80% in developing countries. Cervical cancer presently ranks 5th; 7.3% of all human cancers worldwide. In Africa Central and South America Asia and outside Japan cervical cancer is the leading cancer among women and constitutes 20-30% of all cancers in women. Contrasting figures exist for North America Australia Northern and Western Europe with cervical cancer accounting for 4-6% of all female cancers. Estimates are crude because of poor assessment of population and incidences of cervical cancer in certain areas of the world. With larger populated areas differences are not as easily detected between small geographical unites such as regions countries or population groups classified by ethnicity religious origin or residential status. Epidemiological evidence indicates that number of womens sexual partners age of first intercourse smoking long-term oral contraceptive use dietary factors and immunosuppressants are the principal determinants of womens cervical cancer risk. How each of these determinants contribute to cervical cancer cannot be adequately assessed with data. There is some evidence of an association between cervical cancer and various infectious agents including syphilis herpes simplex virus 2 and chlamydia trachomatis.