EN
Cervical cancer (CC) is currently the third most common cancer among women and the fourth leading cause of cancer-related death in women worldwide(1). In Poland in 2013, CC accounted for 3.7% of all newly registered tumor cases among women, and was the sixth most common female malignancy. At the same time, CC is the seventh leading cause of cancer-related death among Polish women(2). Epidemiological indicators differ depending on patient’s age. CC is responsible for 8% of cancer-related cases and 11% of cancer-related deaths among young women (aged between 20 and 44 years). Persistent human papillomavirus (HPV) infection is the most important factor in the development of cervical neoplasm. The incidence of CC is associated with the occurrence of HPV in a given population. In countries with a high incidence of this cancer, persistent HPV infection affects approximately 10–20% of the population, while the same rate is 5–10% in countries with lower incidence. Vaccination against HPV prevents infection with certain types of viruses, and consequently the development of cancer induced by a given type of virus. Other risk factors that increase the probability of disease include smoking tobacco, multiple vaginal deliveries, the use of oral contraceptives by women smokers, early sexual initiation, multiple sexual partners, positive history for sexually transmitted diseases, certain autoimmune diseases and chronic immunosuppression(3).
PL
Rak szyjki macicy (RSM) jest obecnie trzecim nowotworem u kobiet pod względem częstości zachorowań oraz czwartą przyczyną zgonów nowotworowych kobiet na świecie(1). W Polsce w 2013 roku RSM stanowił 3,7% wszystkich nowo zarejestrowanych przypadków nowotworów wśród kobiet, będąc zarazem szó- stym, pod względem zachorowalności, nowotworem złośliwym rozpoznawanym u kobiet. Jednocześnie RSM stanowi siódmą przyczynę zgonów nowotworowych kobiet w Polsce(2). Wskaźniki epidemiologiczne różnią się w zależ- ności od wieku pacjentek. W populacji młodych kobiet (20.–44. roku życia) RSM odpowiada za 8% zachorowań oraz 11% zgonów nowotworowych.