The prevalence rates and distribution of dysplasias and cancer of the uterine cervix were studied on 26,110 women in the Agra District of India. Derived incidence rates indicate that Agra is among populations of highest risk for cervical cancer in the world. Early marriage and multiple pregnancies are reiterated as important factors. Hindu women had approximately twice the prevalence of cervical cancer seen among Muslims.

Cancer of the uterine cervix is the most common malignant tumor among women in India. T h e varying frequency of cervix carcinoma in different parts of the country is dependent upon certain environmental factors, such as socioeconomic conditions, sexual experience, age a t marriage, fertility, and penile hygiene. This paper is based upon a clinical and statistical analysis of 693 cases of cervix carcinoma diagnosed from a population study of 39,587 women who were screened by vaginal smear examination. T h e findings of this study suggest the importance of the socioeconomic factors of poverty, rapid sexual maturation, early marriage and consequent early sexual experience, and early p r e g nancy and multiparity in producing the high incidence of cancer of uterine cervix in Indian women. ARCINOMA OF THE UTERINE CERVIX IS THE C most common malignant tumor among I224 CANCER May 1969 Vol. 23

There is no invasive cancer which at one stage was not cancer‐in‐situ. The cervical cancer if detected at its pre‐invasive stage is amenable to treatment with 100% survival rate. The knowledge that cancer is preventable if detected in its precancerous stage or is curable if detected in its early stage strongly supports the need for routine cytological examination of all young females from time to time for detection of cervical neoplastic lesion in its early stage and a follow‐up of all the dysplastic lesions of cervix. Present study comprises of an examination of vaginal smears of 39,587 women aged 14 to 80 years. Malignancy of female genital tract was observed in 693 cases. On cytological and histological examination the cancer of the cervix was diagnosed in 64 clinically unsuspected cases giving a pick up rate of 1.62/1000. In each of these cases the initial clinical impression of the cervix was other than carcinoma, the first indication of malignancy being the result of cytological examination. Cervical dysplasia was detected in 927 cases. A follow‐up study of progression or regression of dysplastic changes was done.