HIV and cervical cancer in Kenya

Abstract

Objecti es: To determine the effect of the HIV epidemic on invasive cervical cancer in Kenya. Methods: Of the 3902 women who were diagnosed with reproductive tract malignancies at Kenyatta National Hospital KNH from Ž . 1989 to 1998, 85% had invasive cervical cancer. Age at presentation and severity of cervical cancer were studied for a 9-year period when national HIV prevalence went from 5% to 5 10%, to 10 15%. Results: There was no significant change in either age at presentation or severity of cervical cancer. Of the 118 5% women who were tested for HIV, Ž . 36 31% were seropositive. These women were 5 years younger at presentation than HIV-negative women. Ž . Conclusions: A two- to three-fold increase in HIV prevalence in Kenya did not seem to have a proportional effect on the incidence of cervical cancer. Yet, HIV-positive women who presented with cervical cancer were significantly younger than HIV-negative women. 2002 International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics. All rights reserved.