Comparative assessment of the incidence of malignant neoplasms of the uterine cervix in women residing in areas with different levels of radiation, chemical and combined exposure

Introduction. Living in ecologically unfavorable territories can significantly increase the likelihood of malignant neoplasms in the female reproductive system, including malignant neoplasms of the cervix.

The aim of the study. To determine the impact of various types of environmental pollution (radiation, chemical, and combined) on calculating the relative risk and probability of developing primary cancer in 41 to 60 years women with diagnosed high, moderate, and low-grade cervical malignancies over a twenty-year period from 2000 to 2019.

Materials and methods. Shapiro–Wilk test, Mann–Whitney U-test, relative risk. Data sources: Bryansk Regional Oncological Dispensary, Federal Service for Supervision in Protection of the Rights of Consumer and Man Wellbeing (Rospotrebnadzor), Rostechnadzor, Bryanskstat.

Results. The analysis did not show the living in ecologically unfavorable areas exposed to chemical, radioactive or combined effects to increase the risk of developing malignant neoplasms in the uterine cervix (including high, moderate, and low-grade forms) in women.

Studies have not revealed an increased risk of developing malignant neoplasms of the cervix (including highly, moderately, and low-grade forms) in women living in areas with unfavorable environmental conditions, including areas exposed to chemical, radioactive, and combined effects. The relative risk for women from these areas compared to women from ecologically safe areas was 0.88 (95% CI: 0.69–1.13). In areas with radioactive contamination, there is an increased likelihood of developing highly and moderately differentiated forms of malignant neoplasms of the cervix, compared with chemically contaminated areas (relative risk values range from 1.16 to 1.39). At the same time, there was no increase in the relative risk for low-grade cervical malignancies, which was 1.03 RR (CI: 0.44–2.41). Compared with women living in areas exposed only to chemical or radioactive contamination, women living in areas with combined exposure have a higher relative risk of developing malignant neoplasms of the cervix. The maximum relative risk (RR) is observed in highly and moderately differentiated forms of malignant neoplasms of the uterine cervix, ranging from 1.40 to 2.19.

Limitations. Analysis of the primary incidence of cervical malignancies without taking into account the distribution by disease stage and immunohistochemical profile.

Conclusion. The results of the study indicate that the leading factor in the formation of cervical malignancies is lifestyle, as well as HPV prevention. In addition, the data of relative risk calculations indicate, in all likelihood, the synergistic nature of the effects of radiation and chemical factors on the incidence of low-and especially high-and moderate-differentiated forms of cervical malignancies relative to areas where one pollution factor was present.

Compliance with ethical standards. Anonymized statistical information on the incidence of genital malignancies in women in the Bryansk region from 2000 to 2019 was used.

Contribution:
Korsakov A.V. – analysis of literature data, concept and design of the study, interpretation of the results obtained, approval of the final version of the article;
Kryukova A.E. – literature search, statistical processing, writing the manuscript, editing;
Troshin V.P.– analysis and interpretation of data, writing text, editing;
Milushkina O.Y. – analysis of literary data, analysis and interpretation of data, editing;
Pivovarov Yu.P., Korolyk V.V. – analysis and interpretation of data, editing.
All authors are responsible for the integrity of all parts of the manuscript and approval of the manuscript final version

Conflict of interest. The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Funding. The study had no sponsorship.

Acknowledgements. The authors thank the chief physician of the Bryansk Regional Cancer Dispensary Maklashov A.I. for providing impersonal statistical information on the incidence of endometrial cancer in women in the context of cities and districts of the Bryansk region from 2000 to 2019.

Received: April 15, 2025 / Accepted: June 26, 2025 / Published: March 13, 2026

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