Cervical cancer in South Australia: trends in incidence, mortality and case survival

Approximately 90% of cervical cancers are considered preventable through regular screening and the treatment of precursor lesions, but fewer than 20% of South Australian women were found to have been screened in 1984. Data from the State Cancer Registry have shown an increase in cervical cancer incidence of approximately 80% in women under 50 years of age in the 9-year period to 1986, but a decrease of about 25% in older women. Mortality data have shown similar patterns by age, although the increase in younger women tended to extend to an older age. Case survival was unchanged between the diagnostic periods 1977-1981 and 1982-1987 and there was little change in the proportion of cases that were adenocarcinomas.