Adenocarcinoma of the uterine cervix associated with pregnancy: a retrospective 10-year investigative study

Abstract

We conducted chart reviews on 56 women of childbearing age (up to age 40) diagnosed with adenocarcinoma of the cervix. Of these, 16 (30%) were identified as having pregnancy-associated disease. Eleven of the 16 were diagnosed with invasive adenocarcinoma (i.a.) and 5 with adenocarcinoma in situ (AIS). Prior cervicovaginal smears were available on 12 of the 16 women; of these, only one was reported as showing cancer. Mean age at time of diagnosis of AIS and IA in the pregnant women was 33 and 30.3 yr and in the nonpregnant women, 30.6 and 32.8 yr, respectively. We found an absolute increase in the number of cases of adenocarcinoma of the cervix over the past decade in both pregnant and age-matched nonpregnant women of childbearing age (1984-1988: 6, pregnant; 12, nonpregnant; 1989-1994: 10, pregnant; 28, nonpregnant) but no significant difference in the percentages of the disease in pregnant vs. nonpregnant populations (Z = 0.95). We also found an overall increase in the number of diagnosed cases of adenocarcinoma of the cervix (especially in situ) in both study groups over the same time period (1984-1988: 3, AIS; 14, IA; 1989-1994: 15, AIS; 24, IA).