Background: Carcinoma of the uterine cervix is still the commonest gynaecological malignancy among women in the developing world. This study aims at assessing the prevalence of carcinoma of the cervix, the most common presenting complaints and histological types as seen in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
Methods: All the tissue slides of specimen (cervix and hysterectomy) diagnosed as cervical carcinoma over a period of 13 years were retrieved and re-evaluated for confirmation of diagnosis and tumour typing in the Anatomical Pathology Department of the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital, Port Harcourt, Rivers State. Clinical data were obtained from histopathology registers, request forms as well as case notes of patients from the records department.
Results: There were 2,236 malignancies diagnosed; 302 (13.5%) were malignancies of the genital tract while 188 (8.4%) were carcinoma of the cervix constituting 62.3% of female genital malignancies. Cervical cancer was commonest between the ages of 50-69 years. There was no patient with carcinoma of the cervix below the age of 20 years. Abnormal vaginal bleeding (84.1%) in pre and post-menopausal periods was the commonest presenting complaint while squamous cell carcinoma (70.2%) and adenocarcinoma (14.9%) of the uterine cervix were the main histological types.
Conclusion: Post menopausal women are mostly affected by cancers of the uterine cervix while abnormal vaginal bleeding is the most common presenting complaint. Squamous cell and adenocarcinoma are the most frequent histological types.