[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.