CERVICAL INTRAEPITHELIAL NEOPLASIA AND INVASIVE CERVICAL-CANCER IN BLACK-AND-WHITE PATIENTS

The relative incidences of cervical intra-epithelial neoplasia (CIN) a nd invasive cervical cancer were studied in black and white patients a t the academic hospitals of the University of the Orange Free State. A statistically highly significant difference was found between black a nd white patients, with a higher incidence of invasive cervical cancer than stage III CIN (CIN III) in black patients and a higher incidence of CIN m than invasive cervical cancer in white patients (P = 0,00009 2; 95% confidence interval -0,355 - -0,128). The time interval between the peak incidence of CIN m and that of invasive cervical cancer was found to be shorter in black than in white patients. These distressing findings emphasise the urgent need for a national cervical cytologica l screening programme to decrease the incidence of invasive cervical c ancer. This serious yet preventable disease is still very prevalent in South Africa, especially among black women.