Invasive cervical cancer and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection:a South African perspective

The aim of this study was to compare the prevalence and presentation of cer vical cancer in HIV-positive and HIV-negative women in our local population . Six hundred and seventy-two patients with cervical cancer presented to th e gynecology oncology unit of King Edward VIII Hospital, South Africa. The HIV seroprevalence among these patients was 21%. There was an increase in t he background prevalence of HIV infection (1.6-32.5%) as well as a quadrupl ing in the prevalence of HIV infection among patients with invasive cervica l cancer (5-21%) over a 10-year period. The mean ages of the HIV-negative p atients and HIV-positive patients were 55.2 and 39.8 years, respectively. M ost of the HIV-positive patients were in the 30- to 40-year-old age group ( 51%), whereas the majority of patients who were HIV negative were in the 50 - to 60-year-old age group (36%). The majority of patients, irrespective of HIV status, were more likely to have late stage disease than early stage d isease. There was an increase in HIV infection in patients with both types of background prevalence and among patients with invasive cervical cancer. The mean age of HIV-positive patients was 15 years younger than that of the HIV-negative patients. The majority of patients, irrespective of HIV statu s, presented with late stage disease.