Age at first marriage, menopause status and cervical cancer risk in a middle eastern country: a national cancer...

Cervical cancer ranks as the fourth leading cause of cancer-related morbidity and mortality among women worldwide. Despite its global significance, evidence on cervical cancer risk factors in Kuwait remains limited. This case-control study aimed to identify factors associated with cervical cancer among women in Kuwait.

A total of 50 cervical cancer cases were recruited from the Kuwait Cancer Control Center, and 155 controls were selected from public-sector employees in a 1:3 ratio. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire. Adjusted odds ratios (OR_adj) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were estimated through multivariable logistic regression analysis.

Compared with controls, cases were more likely to have first marriage at a younger age (< 25 vs. ≥ 25 years) (OR_adj = 5.52; 95% CI: 1.34-22.82, p = 0.018), to be unaware of HPV vaccine availability (OR_adj = 7.63; 95% CI: 1.60-36.39, p = 0.011) or tended to be in menopause (OR_adj = 5.17; 95% CI: 1.64-16.33, p = 0.005). These associations were adjusted for the smoking status (ever vs. never).

Younger age at first marriage, being in menopause, and unawareness of HPV vaccine availability  were independently associated with an increased risk of cervical cancer. These findings should be regarded as preliminary and hypothesis-generating, offering a foundation for further research on this important women's health issue in Kuwait and comparable settings. Larger studies are warranted to confirm these results and to identify additional determinants of cervical cancer risk.