Cervical Cancer
A Fact Sheet from the North Carolina Central Cancer Registry, State Center for Health Statistics
October 2020
An HPV-associated cancer is a specific cellular type of
cancer that is diagnosed in a part of the body where HPV
(Human Papilloma Virus) is often found. These parts of
the body include the cervix, vagina, vulva, penis, anus,
rectum, and oropharynx (back of the throat, including the
base of the tongue and tonsils). According to the CDC,
each year there are about 34,800 new cancer cases caused
by HPV in the United States.
/"Cervical cancer is the most common HPV-associated
'“''cancer among women and more than 90% of cervical
cancers are caused by HPV. It is estimated that 406
females in North Carolina will be diagnosed with Cervical
cancer and 1 29 will die of cancer of the Cervix in 2020.
Figure 1. 2013-2017 Percent of Cervical
Cancer Cases by Age Group
Percentages may not add up to 100 percent due to founding.
Incidence
The percentage of cases of Cervical cancer from 2013 to
2017 is displayed by age group in Figure 1. About 37.8
percent of Cervical cancer cases were diagnosed in people
younger than 45.
From 2013 to 2017, the age-adjusted incidence rate for
Cervical cancer in North Carolina was 7.1 per 100,000
people per year. Hispanic females have the highest
incidence rate for Cervical cancer (Figure 2).
From 2003 to 2017, Cervical cancer incidence rates have
decreased for white and for minority females (Figure 3).
Figure 2, 2013-2017 Cervical Cancer
Incidence Rates by Race and Ethnicity
12.0 -i
All Races and Non -Hispanic Non-Hi spanic Hispanics
Ethnicities Whites Blacks
Race and Ethnicity
■ Females
NC DEPARTMENT OF
HEALTH AND
HUMAN SERVICES
Division of Public Health
State of North Carolina ♦ www.nc.gov ♦ Department of Health and Human Services
www.ncdhhs.gov ♦ North Carolina Division of Public Health ♦ www.publichealth.nc.gov
State Center for Health Statistics ♦ www.schs.state.nc.us
North Carolina DHHS is an equal opportunity employer and provider.
Stage at Diagnosis*
Figure 4 shows the stage distribution of Cervical cancer
cases diagnosed from 2013 to 2017. Approximately 80.5
percent of Cervical cancer cases were diagnosed at the
localized or regional stage.
Figure 4. 2013-2017 Percent of Cervical
Cancer Cases by Stage
Percentages may not add up to 100 percent due to rcunding.
Mortality
From 2013 to 2017, the percentage of Cervical cancer
deaths is displayed by age group in Figure 5. About 32.2
percent of deaths occurred in people ages 65 to 84.
Figure 5. 2013-2017 Percent of Cervical
Cancer Deaths by Age Group
85+
Percentages may not add up to 100 percent due to rounding.
The age-adjusted mortality rate of Cervical cancer from
2013 to 201 7 was 2.0 per 1 00,000 people per year. When
comparing Cervical cancer rates by race and ethnicity,
Non-Hispanic Black females have the highest mortality
rate (Figure 6).
Figure 6. 2013-2017 Cervical Cancer Mortality
Rates by Race and Ethnicity
3-5 3.3
All Races and Non-Hispanic Non-Hispanic Hispanics
Ethnicities Whites Blacks
■ Females
From 2003 to 2017, Cervical cancer mortality rates have
decreased for white and for minority Females (Figure 7).
Figure 7. 2003-2017 Cervical Cancer
Mortality Trends by Race
| White -«—Minority
Data Sources and Methods
Data on North Carolina cases were obtained from the North Carolina Central Cancer Registry (CCR). Hospitals are the primary
source of data. The CCR supplements hospital data with reports from physicians who diagnose cases in a non-hospital setting. The
CCR also collects data from pathology laboratories and freestanding treatment centers. Data on cancer deaths were obtained from
Statistical Services in the State Center for Health Statistics. Population data from the National Center for Health Statistics were
used in the denominators of the rates, which are expressed per 100,000 people. Rates were age-adjusted using the 2000 United
States Census data. To examine trends, three- year overlapping rates were used to improve stability over time. Stage at diagnosis
was defined according to Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Summary Stage guidelines as in situ, localized, regional,
distant, and unknown/NA. For further information about the North Carolina CCR, visit www.schs.state.nc.us/units/ccr/.
* According to the National Cancer Institute (NCI), “many cancer registries, such as NCI’s Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program (SEER), use summary
staging. This system is used for all types of cancer. It groups cancer cases into five main categories: In situ Abnormal cells arc present only in the layer of cells in
which they developed. Localized -Cancer is limited to the organ in which it began, without evidence of spread. Regional Cancer has spread beyond the primary
site to nearby lymph nodes or organs and tissues. Distant — Cancer has spread from die primary site to distant organs or distant lymph nodes. Unknown —There is not
enough information to determine die stage." Additional information on staging can be found at https://www.canccr.gov/about-canccr/diagnosis-staging/staging.