INTERNATIONAL TRENDS IN THE INCIDENCE OF CERVICAL-CANCER - I - ADENOCARCINOMA AND ADENOSQUAMOUS CELL CARCINOMAS

Time trends in the incidence of cervical adenocarcinoma and adenosquam ous cell carcinomas during the period 1973-1991 were examined using da ta provided by 60 population-based cancer registries from 32 defined p opulations in 25 countries. Three components of the incidence trend we re studied: age, calendar period of diagnosis and birth cohort, Cumula tive incidence rates per 1,000 for 2 groups with age ranges 25-49 and 50-74 years were calculated from the model that best described the inc idence data. There was a significant increase in the cumulative incide nce of cervical adenocarcinomas in women born in the mid-1930s and in successive cohorts thereafter in some populations in the United States (whites and Hispanic women), Australia, New Zealand (non-Maori), Engl and, Scotland, Denmark, Slovenia, Slovakia and Japan (Osaka) and among Chinese women in Singapore, with a general decline in the incidence i n women born in earlier periods. In Sweden and Slovenia there is a sug gestion of an increasing trend in both age groups. A decrease in incid ence in both age groups was apparent in Finland, France and Italy. The re were no changes in incidence in 24 registries covering other Europe an, Asian and black populations in the United States. Part of the incr ease may be attributable to an increasing prevalence of human papillom avirus infection, and part to improvements in screening. (C) 1998 Wile y-Liss, Inc.