[Adenocarcinoma of the uterine cervix--risk factors]

Abstract

Adenocarcinoma is the second most common malignancy of the uterine cervix following squamous cell carcinoma. The incidence of adenocarcinomas has been increasing, both in absolute numbers and in proportion to squamous carcinomas. It currently constitutes 10-20% of invasive cervical cancers. Because of the relative infrequency of this malignancy, little is known about its risk factors. It is not very clear whether risk factors identified in squamous cell carcinoma of the cervix are shared by cervical adenocarcinoma as well. While infection with the human papillomavirus appears to be the most important cause of both histologic types of cervical cancer, there has been found differences between adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma regarding the importance of other risk factors such as reproductive history and smoking.