Human papillomavirus,Chlamydia trachomatis, and other risk factors associated with cervical cancer in China

Background High prevalences of human papillomavirus (HPV) andChlamydia trachomatis infections, and their association with cervical cancer, have been reported in some parts of China. Other factors, including pregnancy and smoking, are reported to be associated with cervical cancer worldwide. Methods To determine significant risk factors for cervical cancer, we performed a case-control study in 43 women with cervical cancer and 370 women with normal findings from cervical cytologic analysis (controls), in the northeast of China. Scraped cervical cell samples were collected for examination of HPV andC. trachomatis DNA, using a polymerase chain reaction-based method for detection of low cancer risk and high cancer risk HPVs. Results Thirty-four of 370 controls, and 30 of 43 women with cervical cancer, were positive for HPV. None of the low-cancer risk HPV types were detected; HPV 16 was the predominant type in cervical cancers. The prevalence of HPV infection between pregnant and nonpregnant women did not differ, nor did it change over the course of pregnancy. The prevalence ofC. trachomatis infection was higher in HPV-positive than in HPV-negative control women, however, it did not differ between women with cervical cancer and the control group. Multivariate logistic analysis showed that neitherC. trachomatis infection, age at marriage, length of marriage, pregnancy, nor smoking were associated with cervical cancer. Conclusion Infection with HPV 16, 31, 33, or 58 was a significant risk determinant for cervical cancer, whereasC. trachomatis infection and other factors did not increase the risk of cervical cancer.