Objective: To investigate the prevalence of high risk human papillomavirus (HPV) genital infection and cervical cancer in adult women from Shenzhen.
Methods: Cluster sampling was used to investigate the prevalence of HPV infection and cervical cancer from women aged 20 - 59 years old living in Luohu, Futian, Nanshan, Longgang and Baoan districts in Shenzhen from April 2006 to April 2010. All women were detected for liquid-based cytology test (LCT) or Thinprep cytologic test (TCT) and high-risk HPV-DNA test with hybrid capture II (HC-II). All women with ≥ ASC-US by cytology and/or a positive HC-II test were asked to return for colposcopy and four-quadrant biopsy. Endocervical curettage was performed. Pathological finding were used as the gold standard of the diagnosis of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia.
Results: 10 210 women were involved in the study and 10 017 of them having completed data. The overall positive rate of high-risk HPV-DNA was 16.29%. HPV positive rates in 20-, 30-, 35-, 40-, 45-, 50-59 age groups were 17.37%, 15.59%, 16.33%, 14.74%, 17.16% and 17.98%, respectively. The curve of HPV infection rates in different age groups appeared a 'W' shape. HPV infection rates in the 25-years-olds and 50-59 year-olds groups were significantly higher than the other age groups (χ(2) = 4.50, P = 0.03). The overall prevalence rate of cervical intraepithelial lesions (CIN) was 7.52%, of which the prevalence rates of low-grade cervical intraepithelial lesions (CIN I) was 5.32% high-grade cervical intraepithelial lesions (CIN II/III) was 2.21%, cervical cancer was 0.12%. The prevalence of CIN I was significantly higher than the CIN II/III (χ(2) = 134.15, P < 0.001). The prevalence of cervical cancer in 45-age group was 0.12%, the highest. HPV infection rates increased with the grades of cervical lesions including women without CIN as 44.31%, in CINI as 70.73%, in CINII as 86.73%, and in CIN III as 96.75% and in cancer as 100.00%. The HPV infection rates were different in districts (χ(2) = 17.81, P = 0.03), with Futian and Luohu higher than those of Nanshan, Longgang and Baoan district. The prevalence rate of CIN in Baoan was lower than other districts. The CIN prevalence rates were not significantly different among the other districts of Shenzhen (χ(2) = 4.84, P = 0.18).
Conclusion: The prevalence of cervical cancer was low in adult women living in Shenzhen, with cervical lesions still in the early stage. Prevention of HPV infection and treatment of CIN were the key points for the prevention of cervical cancer.