National Survey Results for the Management of Cervical Cancer in Korea

Abstract

Uterine cervical cancer is the most frequent female malignancy in Korea, This investigation was carried out in order to identify factors associated with cervical cancer and to quantify the relative risk of these factors by surveying a large nationwide series. This report is based on an analysis of 2,277 cases of cervical cancer diagnosed and treated during 7 years period from January 1976 to December 1982 at 23 hospitals representing all parts of the country. Staging of the cancers was under the auspices of the Korean Association of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Stage Ib accounted for the largest number (26(10) of total 2,205 cases of cervicel cancer. The most common age group was from 40 to 49 years old(39%). Eighty-eight percent of cases with cervical cancer were married before the age of 24, It was also noted that there was a marked increase in cases of cervical cancer among widows(l2%) as compared to controls(1.9%). Vaginal bleeding was the most common chief complaint. Seventy-eight percent of the cancer was detected by pap smear, 87% by punch biopsy, 21% by colposcopy and 6(10 of cases by conization. In histologic type, squamous cell carcinoma was most common(93.4%). Surgical procedures were performed in 1,234 cases(60%). The percentage of lymph node metastasis was 9% in stage Ia. The five year survival rate was 90.6% in stage I, 75% in stage II and 26.3% in stage III.