J Korean Med Assoc.  2007 Sep;50(9):762-768. 10.5124/jkma.2007.50.9.762.

Epidemiology of Cervical Cancer

• Lee KW
• Song JY

• KMID: 2184906
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.5124/jkma.2007.50.9.762

Abstract

Invasive cancer of the cervix is considered a preventable disease because it has a long preinvasive state, cervical cytology screening programs are currently available, and the treatment of pre-invasive lesions is effective. Cancer of the cervix is the second most common cancer among women worldwide, with an estimated 493,000 new cases and 274,000 deaths in 2002. The highest incidence rates are observed in sub-Saharan Africa, Melanesia, Latin America and the Caribbean, South-Central Asia, and South East Asia. In Korea, cervical cancer is the fifth most common cancer among women with over 3,000 new cases every year. Age-standardized incidence rate (ASR) is 15.5 per 100,000, which is lower than those in developing countries but higher than in western countries such as Europe and North America. The patients' mean parity is 2.59, and the range of age in peak incidence is 40~49 years (29.8%), followed by 50~59 years (21.9%). As the age goes on, more advanced stage cancer is frequent. Squamous cell carcinoma is the most common cell type, and adenocarcinoma is more frequent among those under 60 years old. Operation (56.0%) is the major treatment modality under stage IIa, and concurrent chemoradiation (31.6%) is the major treatment over stage IIb. The 5year survival rate is 73.9%. It is generally thought that human papillomavirus (HPV) test and HPV vaccine might play an important role in lowering the incidence of cervical cancer, and continuous epidemiologic studies will support its usefulness and efficacy.

Keyword

Epidemiology; Cervical cancer; Incidence; Human papillomavirus

MeSH Terms

Adenocarcinoma
Africa South of the Sahara
Asia
Carcinoma, Squamous Cell
Caribbean Region
Developing Countries
Epidemiologic Studies
Epidemiology*
Europe
Far East
Female
Humans
Incidence
Korea
Latin America
Mass Screening
Melanesia
Middle Aged
North America
Parity
Survival Rate
Uterine Cervical Neoplasms*

Figure

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  Figure 1 An epidemiologic model of cervical carcinogenesis. The major steps in cervical carcinogenesis are human papillomavirus (HPV) infection (balanced by viral clearance), progression to precancer (partly offset by regression of precancer), and invasion. The persistence of oncogenic HPV types is necessary for progression and invasion. HPV infection is frequently but not necessarily associated with cytologic and histologic abnormalities(3).

• 

  Figure 2 Age-standardized (world) incidence of cervical cancer in 2002(4).

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  Figure 3 Age-standardized (world) incidence of cervical cancer by histological subtypes in selected cancer registries circa 1993~1997(5).

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  Figure 4 Age-standardized incidence and mortality rate(10).

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  Figure 5 Annual report of the Korea Central Cancer Registry. (2002.1~2002.12).

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  Figure 6 A) The incidence of cervical cancer by year, B) The stage distribution of cervical cancer by year(13).

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