Prevalence and risk factors of cervical cancer in the Nanjiang area of the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region of China: a matched case-control study

Objective: Nanjiang is the area where cervical cancer has a high incidence in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, China. However, large-scale studies on the risk factors in this area have rarely been reported. This study investigated the prevalence and risk factors of cervical cancer in Nanjiang. Methods: A total of 10,038 non-pregnant women with a history of sexual intercourse were screened from five areas of Nanjiang. Their age ranged from 18 years to 64 years. The participants received physical examination, questionnaire surveys, laboratory examinations and cervical cancer screening. A case-control study was designed for 60 women diagnosed with cervical cancer, and uni- and multi-variable logistic regression analyses were performed. Results: The prevalence of cervical cancer was 59.77/100,000. The factors associated with cervical cancer included unwilling for physical exercise (Odds Ratio (OR) = 1.96, Confidence interval (95% CI) = 1.02~3.78, p = 0.043), the number of sexual partners $\ge$5 (OR = 2.36, 95% CI = 1.15~4.81, p = 0.019), high-risk human papilloma virus (HPV) infection (OR = 2.73, 95% CI = 1.35~5.53, p = 0.005), herpes simplex virus (HSV) infection (OR = 2.57, 95% CI = 1.33~4.96, p = 0.005), and a family history of cervical cancer within three generations (OR = 4.41, 95% CI = 2.21~8.61, p $<$ 0.001). High-risk HPV infection and HSV-2 infection interacted with each other among these factors (OR = 3.61, 95% CI = 1.80~7.22, p $<$ 0.001). Conclusions: HPV infection, sexual behavior, sexually transmitted diseases and heredity are associated with cervical cancer among Uyghur women in Nanjiang. In the prevention and treatment of cervical cancer, biological and behavioral factors should be comprehensively considered.

Uyghur ethnicity; Cervical cancer; Prevalence; Risk factor; Cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN)

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