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Racial and ethnic disparities in cervical cancer incidence rates in the United States, 1992−2003

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Abstract

Objective

Differences in cervical cancer incidence rates by race/ethnicity persist in the United States. We examined these differences by histologic type and by various patient and socioeconomic characteristics.

Methods

Thirteen U.S. cancer registries were used to identify women 20–79 years of age diagnosed from 1992 to 2003 with invasive cervical cancer. Age-adjusted incidence rates and annual percent changes were calculated for four different races/ethnicities (Non-Hispanic whites, Hispanic whites, African-Americans, and Asians/Pacific Islanders) for cervical cancer overall, squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), and adenocarcinoma (AC).

Results

Hispanic whites had the highest incidence rate of cervical cancer overall (24.2/100,000), SCC (18.3/100,000), and AC (4.6/100,000). Non-Hispanic whites had the lowest rates of cervical cancer overall (10.8/100,000) and SCC (7.2/100,000), while African-Americans had the lowest rate of AC (2.3/100,000). Incidence rates of cervical cancer overall and SCC declined across all racial/ethnic groups. Numerous variations in incidence rates and annual percent changes were observed when analyses were stratified by county level socioeconomic characteristics.

Conclusions

Variations in screening utilization and socioeconomic status may account for the majority of racial/ethnic disparities in cervical cancer incidence. Targeting groups with the greatest burdens of cervical cancer is of public health importance, particularly as we enter the human papillomavirus vaccine era.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by K01 CA 101970 award (CIL) and PO1 CA 042792 (JRD and MMM).

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Correspondence to Jean A. McDougall.

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McDougall, J.A., Madeleine, M.M., Daling, J.R. et al. Racial and ethnic disparities in cervical cancer incidence rates in the United States, 1992−2003. Cancer Causes Control 18, 1175–1186 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10552-007-9056-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10552-007-9056-y

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