Risk factors for cervical cancer among young women

Abstract

Background: The aim of this study was to assess the risk factors for cervical cancer and the occurrence of particular types of HPV among young women in the Polish population. Material and methods: Ninety-two women aged from 15 to 23 years old were involved in the study. Women were subjected to gynecological examination after completing the survey for the presence of risk factors for cervical cancer. Swabs for cytology, vaginal biocenosis evaluation and HPV DNA determination were collected. Results: 56.52% of population were infected with HPV, of which 40.4% by the oncogenic types. 22.8% of women were infected by more than one type of virus. The most common HPV type is 51, 16 and 31, as well as 52, 53 and 18. An isolated risk factor for HPV infection and thus cervical cancer in young women, statistically significant, was a high number of sexual partners. The other identified risk factors were: age of sexual initiation (16 years or less), ASCUS or LSIL cervical cytology, or bacterial infection present in the reproductive tract. Conclusions: The most important risk factors for cervical cancer among young Polish women are HPV infection, early sexual initiation and a large number of sexual partners. © 2012 Versita Warsaw and Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.