Correlation between smoking status and cervical cancer screening: a cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVES: Tobacco use is a risk factor for the development and progression of cervical cancer. The purpose of this study was to determine the correlation between smoking status among women and their compliance with cervical cancer screening guidelines. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional analysis of the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System was performed using the 2006 survey data. Women with no history of hysterectomy who answered the questions regarding smoking status, age, and last Pap smear were included (n = 150,786). Data were weighted for survey design. RESULTS: The overall prevalence of compliance with cervical cancer screening guidelines was 83.9%. The rate of compliance was highest among former smokers (86.7%) compared with never smokers (83.7%) and current smokers (81.7%; p < .001). Among women aged 21 to 65 years, the odds of current smokers having had a Pap test in the past 3 years was 0.70 compared with women who never smoked (95% confidence interval = 0.63-0.77), when controlled for marital status, income, and access to health care. The odds of former smokers complying with screening guidelines were similar to women who never smoked. CONCLUSIONS: Women who smoke are at higher risk for developing cervical cancer but have a lower rate of screening for the disease. Efforts to increase prevalence of Pap test compliance should target current smokers.

Endometrial expression of Cyr61: a marker of estrogenic activity in normal and abnormal endometrium.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the expression of Cyr61 in normal cycling endometrium with endometrium from women with polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) and endometrial hyperplasia and adenocarcinoma. METHODS: This is a retrospective study of 59 samples of normal and abnormal endometrium. Endometrial biopsies were obtained from normal fertile controls throughout the menstrual cycle and compared with endometrium from ovulatory and anovulatory women with PCOS and complex endometrial hyperplasia and endometrioid adenocarcinoma. Cyr61 expression was evaluated by using immunohistochemistry and reverse transcription PCR for Cyr61, estrogen receptor (ER)-alpha, a marker of cell proliferation (Ki67), and another marker of early estrogen action, cFos. Regulation of Cyr61 protein was studied in a steroid-responsive endometrial carcinoma cell line, ECC1. RESULTS: Cyr61 protein was regulated by estrogen. In normal endometrium, Cyr61 was highest in the proliferative phase and lowest in the normal midsecretory phase. In contrast, elevated levels of Cyr61, ER-alpha, Ki67, and cFos were all found in the midsecretory endometrium of ovulatory PCOS patients, endometrial cancer patients, and hyperplasia patients. CONCLUSION: Cyr61 is overexpressed in PCOS endometrium, reflecting a heightened responsiveness to estrogen. As a unique marker of estrogen action, Cyr61 may be an early biomarker for the development of hyperplasia or adenocarcinoma in this group of women.