Background: Although cervical cancer is a preventable disease, its prevalence is increasing in many developing countries. The aim of this study was to evaluate risk factors.
Materials and methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 100 cervical cancer cases according to their pathology reports in Yazd city. The patients were referred to 4 gynecological centers. Demographic data (age, age at marriage, number of marriages and spouses, age at first pregnancy, frequency of pregnancies and term labors, positive history of smoking and Pap smear findings were documented by interview, questionnaire and reviewing patients documents. The data were analyzed with SPSS software.
Results: Mean age of the patients was 53.6 years. Mean age of marriage and first pregnancy was 15.2 and 16.6; respectively. Twenty percent (20%) of the cases married more than once and husbands of 38 patients (38%) had another wife too. Frequency of pregnancies and term labors was 7.4 and 6.4 in our patients. Some 17% of the patients had history of smoking; while 53% of them were passive smokers. Also only 2% of our patients have done Pap smear before diagnosis.
Discussion: The important risk factors of patients with cervical cancer were as follows: Marriage at young age (15.2%), high mean parity (7.4), low mean age at first pregnancy (16.2 year), smoking, and not doing Pap smear.
Conclusion: There is important association between mass screening program with Pap smear and decreasing cervical cancer. Thus we should increase our women knowledge about all of risk-factors of cervical cancer and get them clues about regular pap smears.