George Wandera Ogutu*, Arthur Ajwang MBChB, Khama Rogo PhD MMed MBChB, Shem Otoi PhD-Stats, Jogchum Beltman PhD MMed MBChB and Benson Estambale PhD MMed MBChB
Background: In many Low and middle income countries HIV and cervical cancer have always been interlinked, as HIV patients are more likely to be diagnosed with cervical cancer at a young age. The policy in Kenya is to screen all HIV positive women for cancer of the cervix.
Objective: This study aimed to explore the increase in incidences of advanced cervical cancer in young HIV Negative women, as compared to HIV Positive, presenting at the hospital. Methodology: A review of hospital records of all patients aged 13-35 years presenting with Cancer of the Cervix regardless of HIV status at time of diagnosis in the period 2012 - 2019 of the study and purposive active recruitment of same age set in the 2020-2021period.
Findings: After the introduction of routine voluntary early screening of HIV +VE women, there was an increase of 15.91% of routine early screening of cancer of the cervix in the young HIV +VE patients as compared to their HIV –VE counterparts, from 3.85% to 19.76% in the 2012-2019 and 2020-2021 study periods.
Conclusion: Our conclusion is that apparently due to the early routine cancer of the cervix screening of young HIV positive women, cases are being diagnosed very early, in the pre-cancer and early stages, leading to early treatment and remission, in turn leading to the increased contribution of young HIV negative women with advanced cancer of the cervix.
Published Date: 2023-10-31; Received Date: 2023-10-10
