[Invasive carcinoma of the cervix in young women in Tunisia].

A series of 133 patients, 35 years or less in age (mean: 31.8) presenting with a carcinoma of the cervix and treated at Salah Azaiz Institute from 1969 to 1989 was analysed and compared to a control group of patients older than 35 years (mean: 54). Neither clinical nor epidemiological particularities were found in the younger patients group, except an early sexual life and a high proportion of early stage tumours (33% versus 15.9% in the older women group). Overall survival of the younger women was dramatically worse than that of the older women: 40% and 50% at 5 years, 20% and 40% at 10 years, and 14% and 30% at 15 years, respectively. This difference is statistically significant in stage I-II patients. Young age, non-sterilization of the tumour after brachytherapy, and anemia, are associated with a poor prognosis.