Risk factors for cancer of the cervix.

BACKGROUND

Cancer of the cervix is the second most common cancer among women worldwide and the leading cancer in Nigeria.

OBJECTIVE

This study examined the risk factors associated with cancer of the cervix as seen in patients presenting to a tertiary hospital with gynaecologic conditions.

STUDY DESIGN

The case control study design was used with a retrospective review of records of randomly selected cases of cancers of the cervix from the cancer registry and appropriate controls among hospital patients.

RESULTS

Binary logistic regression carried out on the data revealed that contraceptive method (OR = 3.38, 95% CI = 1.75, 6.51) number of children (OR = 1.27, 95% CI = 1.09, 1.47), and age (OR = 1.07, 95% CI = 1.05, 1.10) were the significant risk factors out of all the potential risk factors that were assessed.

CONCLUSION

These findings provide a useful insight into the general pattern of risk associated with cancer of the cervix in our environment.