TUMORS IN ICELAND .5. MALIGNANT-TUMORS OF THE CERVIX UTERI - HISTOLOGICAL TYPES, CLINICAL STAGES AND THE EFFECT OF MASS-SCREENING

Abstract

Histological material from patients with invasive cervical carcinoma diagnosed in Iceland during the period 1955-1974 was reviewed and retyped in accordance with the WHO classification of tumors. Of 314 malignant epithelial tumours 86.0% were squamous carcinomas (subtypes: 6% microcarcinomas, 30% keratinizing, 45% non-keratinizing and 5% small cell carcinomas), 9.0% adenosquamous carcinoma, 3.5% adenocarcinoma and 1.5% undifferentiated carcinoma. A mass screening for uterine cancer in the population, ages 25-59, led to an increased incidence of cervical carcinoma, due to the finding of early tumors (clinical stages IA and IB). The increase was most marked in the first 5 yr of screening (1965-1969). The screening did not increase the incidence of the more advanced stages and a longer observation will be needed to determine whether a decline will occur in such tumors. All the major histological types of cervical carcinoma appear to progress at the same rate through the clinical stages, from the early to the far advanced.