LIFESTYLE HABITS AS RISK FACTORS FOR SQUAMOUS CELL ABNORMALITIES OF THE UTERINE CERVIX

Abstract

Studies have shown a positive correlation between cervical cancer and some lifestyle habits, such as cigarette smoking, alcohol consumption, drug use, and dieting. These risk factors basically increase the likelihood of exposure to a high-risk HPV genotype. The aim of our study was to detect the most common lifestyle habits as risk factors for squamous intraepithelial lesions and squamous invasive cervical cancer. The study is a case-control study. Material is represented by 192 patients aged 20 to 59 years, divided into two groups: examined and control. The study was conducted in the period from March 2019 to September 2020 at the University Clinics for Gynecology and Obstetrics and Radiotherapy and Oncology in Skopje. All women underwent: a survey with a specific questionnaire, and as an indication, all women in the study group and colposcopic cervical biopsy with endocervical curettage for histopathological analysis. The relative risk of squamous intraepithelial lesions and squamous invasive cervical cancer was assessed by calculating the odds ratio (OR, Odds Ratio) with a 95% Confidence Interval (CI, Confidence Interval), using logistic regression. Data analysis showed an association between cigarette smoking (chi-square test = 8.1702, p = 0.0043, p<0.05, with a relative risk of 2.45), diet (chisquare test = 4.1739, p = 0.0411, p<0.05, with a relative risk of 2.11) and squamous cell abnormalities of the cervix. Our study found that smoking and dieting were potential risk factors for cervical squamous cell abnormalities.