12 Chapter 1 1.1 CERVICAL CANCER 1.1.1 EPIDEMIOLOGY Cervical cancer is the fourth most common cancer among women worldwide, after breast, colorectal and lung cancer 1, 2. In 2020, an estimated 341,831 women died from cervical cancer worldwide. Cervical cancer disproportionately affects women in lowmiddle income countries (LMIC). Almost 85% of cervical cancers occur in women living in less developed countries, with the highest incidence rates in Eastern, Southern, and Middle Africa (Figure 1.1), where it is responsible for nearly 12% of all female cancers 3. Cervical cancer is most common in relatively young women with age between 35 and 45. The 5-year survival rate depends greatly on the FIGO stage. The global survival rate was 98% for FIGO stage I, 64% for FIGO stage II, 38% for FIGO stage III and 7% for FIGO stage IV 4. 1.1.2 ANATOMY OF THE UTERINE CERVIX Cervical cancer originates in the uterine cervix, which is the lower part of the uterus, partly protruding into the vagina (Figure 1.2). The cervix consists of the ectocervix (the outer part ≥ 24.6 Not applicable No data 15.8–24.6 12.0–15.8 7.1–12.0 2.1–7.1 Figure 1.1 Global cervical cancer incidence rates in 2022. Estimated age-standardised incidence rates (ASR) per 100,000 per country. Adapted from Globocan 2022 3. All rights reserved. The designations employed and the presentation of the material in this publication do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the World Health Organisation / International Agency for Research on Cancer concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. Dotted and dashed lines on maps represent approximate borderlines for which there may not yet be full agreement.
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