Cervical cancer in younger women.

Cervical cancer does not begin in women at some vague mid-procreative term, but is a concomitant of early sexual activity. In Brighton the mean age of patients with histologically proven carcinoma of the cervix has been falling, from 50 in 1967 to 35 by 1977. In one year abnormal cells were found in cervical smears from 24 teenage girls (5 aged 16, 2 aged 17, 8 aged 18 and 9 aged 19), and in 4 of these teenage cases malignancy was subsequently proved histologically. Until the aetiology of the disease is established no lower age limit should be set for cervical screening; all young women should be entitled and encouraged to have cervical cytology tests.