Cancer of the cervix in Ilorin, Nigeria.

Objective: The purpose of this study is to review our experience with carcinoma of the cervix in Ilorin, Nigeria.

Method: From 1st January 1990 to 31st December 1999, a total of 169 cases of invasive cervical cancer wereseen at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology of the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital, Ilorin, Nigeria.

Results: Carcinoma of the cervix accounted for 63.1 % of histologically confirmed gynaecological cancers. Most of the patients were married 147 (98.7 %) and of low socio-economic status 132 (88.6%). One hundred and three (89.1 %) patients were in the age bracket 40-69 years with highest frequency in 40-49 years age group. The disease is associated with high parity with grandmultiparous patients constituting 119 (79.9 %) of the cases. Irregular vaginal bleeding 109 (73.2 %), vaginal discharge 58 (38.9%) and postcoital bleeding 31(20.5%) were the common symptoms. Nineteen (12.8%) patients reported at the hospital within one month of onset of symptoms. About three quarter ofthe patients had advanced disease and stage III disease was the most common stage 75 (50.4 %).

Conclusion: This study has shown a high incidence of carcinoma ofcervix at the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital.