Cervical cancer: statistics

Cervical cancer is a serious oncological disease. Patients develop malignant tumors on the surface of the cervix that can metastasize. This type of cancer is one of the most common cancers in women. As the statistics of cervical cancer treatment show, the fight against the disease in its early stages is the most effective.

However, unfortunately, more than 30% of patients are diagnosed with the disease at a late stage, so the chances of recovery are significantly reduced. But modern medicine has the latest technologies to change these statistics for the better. Over the past 30 years, mortality rates from cervical cancer have decreased significantly, as innovative methods of diagnosing and treating the disease are increasingly being used.

General survival statistics

Among all oncological diseases, cervical cancer ranks fifth in prevalence. One of the countries whose medicine has contributed to reducing mortality from cervical cancer is Russia. Statistics show that in the decade from 2004 to 2014, the mortality rate of patients from this type of cancer in Russia fell from 20% to 16%. The survival rate continues to grow along with the achievements of modern medicine.  

Cervical cancer: causes and types

There are various forms that cervical cancer can take. Statistics show that in the vast majority of cases, squamous cell carcinoma of the cervix is registered (85% of cases). In this form, malignant neoplasms are formed from cells of the multilayer squamous epithelium that lines the vaginal part of the cervix.

The second most common is cervical adenocarcinoma (from 10 to 15% of all cases of the disease). Its other name is glandular cervical cancer. This form is characterized by the formation of tumors from glandular cells. At the same time, 73% of adenocarcinomas are characterized by an endophytic or mixed form.

Regardless of the specific form, there are common causes of cervical cancer. Statistics reveal the following:

•  human papillomavirus;
•  early onset of sexual activity;
•  a large number of sexual partners;
•  prolonged use of oral contraceptives.

Survival forecasts

The survival rate for cervical cancer depends on many factors. These include:

• age of the patient;
• general condition of the body;
• presence/absence of concomitant pathologies;
• the stage of the disease.

The latter factor is the most significant, since only the early stages of the disease can be effectively treated. Statistics on the treatment of cervical cancer confirm this.

In the first stage, when the tumor is still insignificant, it is possible to achieve a five-year survival rate while maintaining reproductive function. The probability of such an outcome exceeds 90%.

The second stage, characterized by the growth of the lesion, is also curable, but the survival rate is significantly lower – from 58 to 63%.

The outcome is less favorable in the third and fourth stages. The third stage is accompanied by metastases, and the probability of five-year survival is 33%. The fourth, most advanced stage is practically incurable – only in 10-15% of cases it is possible to achieve a five-year survival rate.