Trends in cervical cancer in young women in Hubei, China

This study was performed to determine whether the incidence of cervical cancer in women aged 35 or younger has changed for the past 30 years and to examine the clinical characteristics of the cases.

The clinical and pathological data of 6257 patients with cervical cancer treated between January 1975 and December 2009 were retrospectively analyzed.

The prevalence of young (≤ 35 years old) patients steadily increased from 2.8% to 15.7% for the past 30 years. The ratio of adenocarcinoma also rose from 1975-1979 to 2005-2009. In an analysis by age group, in group A, adenocarcinoma was found in 17% (≤ 35 years old); in group B, 7.1% (> 35 years old) [χ² = 78.92, P < 0.0001]. The clinical presentation presented showed that 36.4% of patients presented mainly postcoital bleeding in group A, whereas the symptom of irregular genital bleeding predominated in group B (P < 0.0001). The patients detected by routine cytological screening in group A (8.7%) were more than the patients in group B (3%).

The prevalence of cervical cancer in young women has been increasing steadily in Hubei, China. It is necessary for all sexually active women and women aged 35 years or even younger to undergo cervical cancer screening.