Comparison of adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma of the uterine cervix: a population-based epidemiologic study.

OBJECTIVE: Our objective was to compare epidemiologic and clinical characteristics of adenocarcinoma with those of squamous cell carcinoma of the cervix, with respect to risk by ethnic group, age at diagnosis, stage of disease at diagnosis, and survival. STUDY DESIGN: All data were obtained from the Cancer Surveillance Program of Orange County, California, from 1984 through 1989. A total of 152 cases of adenocarcinoma and 457 of squamous cell carcinoma of the uterine cervix were included. RESULTS: Adenocarcinoma of the cervix was diagnosed at a younger age and an earlier stage than squamous cell carcinoma. Hispanics have the highest risk for squamous cell carcinoma, whereas Asians have the highest risk for adenocarcinoma compared with whites. No differences were observed between the two histologic types in prognosis and survival. CONCLUSION: Differences between the two histologic types of cervix cancer were found in the age at diagnosis, the extent of disease, and the ethnic distribution. In spite of these differences, prognosis and survival were not affected by histologic type.