AUDIT OF DEATHS DUE TO CERVIX UTERINE-CANCER IN A HEALTH-SERVICE OF SANTIAGO - A PRELIMINARY-ANALYSIS

Background: Despite the epidemiological importance and the surveillanc e programs to detect cervix uterine cancer in Chile, its mortality con tinues to be high. Aim: To perform an audit of all deaths due to cervi x uterine cancer, that occurred in a health service of Santiago during 1995. Material and methods: The clinical records and pathological stu dies of 46 women whose death certificates indicated cervix uterine can cer as the cause of death, were audited. Results: In six women, the au dit revealed that the cause of death was not a cervix uterine cancer, and they were discarded from further analyses. The higher mortality ra te (36/100000) occurred in women over 64 years old, those living in th e poorest community and with less Papanicolaou vaginal smears coverage (La Pintana). The evolution prior to diagnosis was registered in only four women and was of less than one year. Most women consulted in adv anced stages of the disease and only 48% were subjected to some sort o f treatment (surgery, radiotherapy or chemotherapy). Mean survival was 3 years and mean age at death was 55.5 years old. There was a great l ack of clinical and epidemiological information. In only 13 women info rmation about previous Pap smears was registered. Conclusions: Audit o f deaths should be an important component of preventive programs for c ervix uterine cancer, and the coverage of Pap smears should be improve d.