Important Facts for Cervical Cancer Death

Definition

The rate of death from cancer of the cervix in Utah or U.S. per 100,000 women.

Numerator

The number of deaths due to cervical cancer among Utah or U.S. women for a given time period (ICD-10: C53).

Denominator

The female population of Utah or U.S. for a given time period.

Why Is This Important?

Cervical cancer is one of the most curable cancers if detected early through routine screening. Almost all cases of cervical cancer are caused by infection with high-risk types of the human papillomavirus (HPV). The HPV vaccine protects against the HPV types that most often cause cervical cancer. Women who have had an HPV vaccine still need to have routine Pap smears because the vaccine does not fully protect against all the strains of the virus and other risk factors that can cause cervical cancer. HPV is transmitted through sexual contact. Any woman who is sexually active is at risk for developing cervical cancer. Other risk factors include giving birth to many children, having sexual relations at an early age, having multiple sexual partners or partners with many other partners, cigarette smoking, and use of oral contraceptives. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends cervical cancer screening (Pap smear) every 3 years for women 21 to 65 years old. For women 30 to 65 years old, Pap smears may be conducted every 5 years in conjunction with human papillomavirus (HPV) testing.

Other Objectives

CSTE Chronic Disease Indicators

How Are We Doing?

The cervical cancer death in Utah has consistently been lower than national rates, however, measuring and seeing a clear increase or decrease in the trend is unclear, partly due to the low number of deaths due to cervical cancer in Utah. The latest available data indicate a mortality rate of 1.6 deaths per 100,000 females in Utah in 2022.

How Do We Compare With the U.S.?

The age-adjusted cervical cancer mortality rate in Utah has been consistently lower than the U.S. age-adjusted rate. In 2021, the age-adjusted rate in Utah was 1.9 deaths per 100,000 females, compared to 2.3 deaths per 100,000 females in the U.S.

What Is Being Done?

The Utah Breast & Cervical Cancer Program (Utah B&C) partners with local health departments, community clinics, hospitals, and healthcare professionals to help those with low incomes who do not have adequate insurance gain access to timely breast and cervical cancer screening, diagnostic, and treatment services. Eligible women can apply to Utah B&C by calling 800-717-1811 or by submitting an online enrollment form available at: [https://cancerutah.org/do-i-qualify/]. The mission of the Utah Cancer Coalition is to lower cancer incidence and mortality in Utah through collaborative efforts directed toward cancer prevention and control. As a result of this planning process, objectives and strategies have been developed by community partners regarding the early detection of cervical, testicular, prostate, skin, breast, and colorectal cancers as well as the promotion of physical activity, healthy eating habits, and smoking cessation.

Health Program Information

The 2000 Utah Legislature approved a resolution encouraging private health insurance companies and employers to include insurance coverage for the screening and detection of cervical cancer. As of July 2001, the Utah Breast and Cervical Cancer Program is able to refer Utah women in need of treatment for cervical cancers for full Medicaid benefits. The women must meet all requirements as outlined in the National Breast and Cervical Cancer Treatment Act.