Recent trends in incidence of cervical cancer in several regions of south-western Europe.
In recent decades, most Western countries have experienced a decline in the incidence of invasive cervical cancer. More recently, a reversal of this trend has been noted in young women, especially in anglo-saxon countries. These trends have been attributed to the beneficial results of cervical cancer screening on the one hand, to the widespread increase of high risk sexual behaviors on the other. Recent trends in Latin European countries have not previously been studied. Time trends of incidence data from 10 regions of South-Western Europe (Geneva, Vaud, Calvados, Doubs, Bas-Rhin, Isère, Ragusa, Varese, Zaragoza and Navarra) were analysed by means of log-linear models. The data were provided for various periods of time between 1970 and 1990. The mean incidence rate varies threefold between Navarra where rates are the lowest to Calvados where they are the highest. The overall decrease rate is of the order of -3% per year but rate changes differ by age group. The reduction seems to concern mostly middle aged women. A definite trend could not be determined among younger women due to low case numbers. Thus, the hypothesis of a rising incidence in young women cannot be confirmed at this time.
Raymond
L
L
Geneva Cancer Registry, Switzerland.
Ménégoz
F
F
Fioretta
G
G
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D005602:France / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D016014:Linear Models; D008875:Middle Aged; D012042:Registries; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology; D013557:Switzerland / Q000453:epidemiology; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology*