Abstract 4134: Prevalence of cervical cancer and associated mortality in Grenada: A ten-year analysis (2000 - 2010)

Abstract

Abstract According to recent WHO estimates, cervical cancer is ranked as the second most frequently diagnosed cancer among women ages 15 - 44 years in the Caribbean and disproportionately affects developing countries. Globally, 80 to 85% of deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries. However, little is known about cervical cancer burden in much of the Eastern Caribbean and particularly for Grenada, West Indies. Grenada is a Tri-Island state comprised of Grenada, Carriacou and Petite Martinique, with a population of 35,000 women ages 15 years and older who are at risk of developing cervical cancer. To investigate cervical cancer prevalence and its associated mortality, a study was conducted on de-identified records obtained from the Grenada General Hospital Histopathology Laboratory of women who visited hospital and clinic facilities during 2000 - 2010. Ten years of hand-written records (12,016 entries) were compiled into an electronic master sheet, and cervical cancer prevalence was assessed. Of the 12,016 entries, 9,003 were female (7,160 individuals) between ages 8 - 94 years. Sampling without replacement resulted in inclusion of 2,524 entries for analysis. Identified cancer cases were matched to corresponding patient data from death registries collected at the Ministry of Health and used to identify and calculate associated mortality rates. The highest rates of cervical cancer occurred in the 35 - 44 year age group followed by the 45 - 64 age group. Prevalence rate of cervical cancer was determined as 52.4 per 100,000 women (ages 15 and above). A total of 65 deaths attributable to cervical cancer occurred during 2000 - 2010, with women over 65 years old experiencing a majority of these deaths. The mortality rate was determined to be 16.7 per 100,000, almost twice the rates estimated by WHO for the region or reported for the previous decade (9.7 per 100,000). This study reports data that demonstrate the need for a comprehensive cervical cancer-screening program in Grenada. It should be used in the generation of public health policy and should aid future studies in determining how to appropriately execute public health policy for screening, prevention, and control of cervical cancer in Grenada. Citation Format: Avi' A T Bahadoor - Yetman, Laura Riley, Ashley Gibbons, Paul J. Fields, Veronica Mapp-Alexander, Robert Hage, Amy Baldwin. Prevalence of cervical cancer and associated mortality in Grenada: A ten-year analysis (2000 - 2010). [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 105th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2014 Apr 5-9; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2014;74(19 Suppl):Abstract nr 4134. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2014-4134