[Cervical cancer before 35 years of age: epidemiological and prognostic aspects. Retrospective study of 46 cases of cervical cancer before 35 years of age in a series of 449 cases in stages IA2 and IV].

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the diagnosis and prognosis aspects of carcinoma of the cervix in a group of young patients less 35 years old, not very clear in literature.

STUDY

Retrospective and comparative diagnostic and prognostic study. This study is related to the epidemiology and prognosis of such cervical cancer in young women.

SUBJECTS

Of 449 new patients with carcinoma of cervix FIGO stages IA2-IV treated between 1972-1990 inclusive, 46 patients were aged less than 35 years old.

RESULTS

The frequency is about 10.2%; during the last 20-year period, there was a gradual rise in the proportion of young women with invasive carcinoma of the cervix (7.6% between January 1972 and June 1981, 13.9% between July 1981 and December 1990). There is more frequent incidence of adenocarcinoma in the young women group (19.6% adenocarcinoma < 35 years, 8.2% > 35 years). The overall 5-year survival all stages together is better before 35 years (71% < 35 years, 50% > 35 years), because in women aged less than 35 years, early stages disease (IA2, IB), predominated. Stage for stage, the 5-year survival is a little lower for stage I (78.6% < 35 years, 88.5% > 35 years) and much lower for stage II (45.5% < 35 years, 71% > 35 years). The young age is an independent prognosis factor, predicting early recurrences within 20 months: the relative risk is 3.7.

CONCLUSION

The young age (less than 35 years), is a worse prognosis factor of carcinoma of the cervix; the treatment is very difficult: heavy (radiotherapy, neoadjuvant chemotherapy), efficient, problem of femininity.