Cervical Cancer Rates among Asian Sub-Populations (1993-95) : Analysis of SEER Reported Cases

Cervical cancer is the third most common reproductive cancer in the U.S. At present, there is only one report that examines cervical cancer trends in Asian sub-populations living in the United States, with limited comparison to other ethnic groups. This report concludes that the cervical cancer rate for all U.S. women from 1988-1992 is about 8 per 100,000, with the highest age-adjusted incidence rate in Vietnamese women (43 per 100,000). Rates of 15 per 100,000 or higher occur among Alaska Native, Korean, and Hispanic women. The current study examines whether U.S. Vietnamese women in 1993-1995 are more likely to have cervical cancer in comparison to Whites, Blacks, Hispanics, American Indians, and other Asian subgroups. SEER data of cervical cancers diagnosed from 1993-1995 (n = 37,790) was utilized. Using SPSS, chi-square statistics assessed whether Vietnamese women were older and more likely to be married or diagnosed at a later stage. Logistic regression assessed the amount of risk race/ethnicity contributes to stage of diagnosis adjusting for age and martial status. SEER*Stat and U.S. Census data were used to compute age-adjusted incidence and prevalence rates per 100,000 woman-years for cervical cancer. Race/ethnicity is associated with cervical cancer diagnosis. Asian subgroups are at varying risk of cervical cancer and should be assessed separately as to not obscure differences.