Familial occurrence of cervical cancer, stages 0-IV.

All patients hospitalized in 1982 at the Department of Gynecology in Malmö because of malignancy of the cervix uteri attended an interview study concerning the presence of cervical cancer among their nearest relatives. In addition, these patients were questioned concerning earlier gonorrheal infection. The blood group was determined as also was the secretory status and Gm allotype. As a control group the families of the male consorts were used. Cervical cancer was found significantly more often in mothers of the patients (7.9%) than in the consorts' mothers (1.0%). Sisters, aged 20 or over, of the patients had cervical cancer significantly more often (7.5%) than sisters of the consorts (1.1%). Moreover, cervical cancer in mothers and/or sisters was found in 15.6% of the patients. In cases of invasive cancer or previously operated CIS, this figure was 17.5%. The patients did not differ significantly from the normal population regarding blood group or secretory status. A somewhat lower, although non-significant, frequency of Gm(1) allotype was found in patients with invasive cancer, compared with patients with CIS. Patients with a positive family history of cancer had more often had gonorrhea (24%) than patients with a negative family history (18%). The study indicates a multifactorial etiology for cervical cancer.