CIGARETTE-SMOKING AND CERVICAL DYSPLASIA AMONG NON-HISPANIC BLACK-WOMEN

This is the first case-control study to determine whether smoking is a ssociated with cervical dysplasia, after adjustment for human papillom avirus (HPV) infection, among a group of non-Hispanic black women. Sub jects were interviewed and asked questions about smoking and other ris k factors for cervical cancer. HPV infection was determined by hybrid capture. Thirty-two women with histologically confirmed incident dyspl asia and 113 control women with normal cytologic smears were enrolled; all women were HIV negative. Smoking was more strongly associated wit h dysplasia among women with high-grade lesions than among all case wo men combined. After adjustment, women with high-grade lesions were rou ghly four times more likely to be ever (odds ratio [OR]: 3.8; 95% conf idence interval [CI]: 0.76-18.4) or current (Ok: 4.3; 95% CI: 0.83-21. 9) smokers, compared with control women. Larger studies among black wo men that control for HPV infection are needed to confirm these finding s and to explore associations among black women with low-grade lesions .