Increasing mortality from cancer of the cervix in young Australian women

Abstract

Mortality from uterine cancer in Australia has fallen progressively since 1908, as has mortality from cancer of the cervix specifically since it was distinguished, in statistics, from other uterine cancer in 1950. However, in women aged under 40 years, this trend has reversed recently, and cervical cancer mortality has risen since about 1970. This rise has also been shown by incidence data collected by the New South Wales Central Cancer Registry. Similar increases have been observed in New Zealand, Britain at least, appear to parallel increases in promiscuous sexual activity. Increases in the frequency of cervical cancer in older women can be expected when the cohorts affected (those born after 1935) reach older age groups.