Prevalence of Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) and Other Risk Factors for the Development of Cervical Cancer in Guatemala

Abstract

Cervical cancer is the most common malignancy among women in the third world and in Guatemala, it is responsible for 40% of all cancers in both sexes and 60% of all female cancers. The presence of Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) It is considered, among others, as the most important risk factor for the development of cervical cancer.

The present study was carried out with the purpose of determining the prevalence of HPV types in a group of Guatemalan patients with cervical cancer, as well as to evaluate the risk factors associated with the development of the disease.

For this purpose, a case-control study was carried out in 112 patients with invasive cervical cancer (cases) and 102 healthy women (controls). Cervical biopsies were obtained and the presence of HPV was investigated using two molecular methods, hybrid capture 2 (HC-2™. Digene Co.) and polymerase chain reaction (PCR). An epidemiological questionnaire was used to assess other risk factors grouped into sexual behavior factors, reproductive factors, and sociodemographic factors. The information was collected during a personal interview with the study subjects.

A total of 89% of the patients and 18% of the controls were positive for Human Papillomavirus DNA, and the most frequently detected types were HPV 16, 18, and 45.

Risk factor assessment showed significant trend p-values ​​(increased risk of developing cervical cancer) for factors such as: early age of onset of sexual intercourse, high number of lifetime sexual partners and stable partners, high number of pregnancies and vaginal deliveries, low schooling and an ethnic origin categorized as indigenous, contrary to others such as prenatal care during the last pregnancy, which is a factor that reduces risk.