HIV Infection among Uganda Women with Cervical Cancer: a Retrospective Study

Abstract

Objective: To assess whether there is an association between HIV and invasive cervical cancer (ICC). Methodology: A case-control study was conducted in Kampala between 1993 and 1995. 116 women with ICC were matched by age and parity with 116 hospital controls. Participants were tested for HIV and interviewed to assess risk factors for ICC and HIV. The association between HIV and ICC was assessed by conditional logistic regression. Results: HIV prevalence was 18% among cases and 15% among controls. The odds of having ICC for HIV-infected patients was 1.27 (95% CI 0.58–2.80) when compared to controls, and the odds of being infected with HIV was higher in ICC patients aged <33 years (OR = 3.81) when compared to controls of similar age. HIV-infected ICC patients were younger (mean age 35.8 years) compared to 46.5 years in the ICC HIV-negative group (p = 0.021). Conclusion: HIV is associated with an earlier onset of ICC.