Cancer of the cervix in women under 40 years of age, a regional survey, 1975-1984.

OBJECTIVE

To review the method and results of treatment of carcinoma of the cervix in women less than 40 years old.

DESIGN

Retrospective review of all available case records.

SETTING

Yorkshire Regional Health Authority.

SUBJECTS

428 women less than 40 years old treated for stage IB-IV carcinoma of the cervix between 1975 and 1984 inclusive.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Overall survival by stage, effect of age, identifiable factors of prognostic significance, survival, grade 3 morbidity and pattern of recurrence in relation to treatment.

RESULTS

The 5-year actuarial percentage survival by stage was 78.4 (IB), 54.4 (II), 18.4 (III) and 0 (IV). Identifiable factors of prognostic importance were stage, nodal metastases (P less than 0.001) and tumour grade (P less than 0.01).

CONCLUSION

Primary surgical treatment for young women with early disease allows ovarian conservation and the avoidance of radiotherapy in 80% of them. Such treatment results in less local recurrence, particularly evident in patients with moderate or poorly differentiated tumours and a lower incidence of serious morbidity.