Increased incidence of adenocarcinoma of the cervix in young women in the United States.

This is the second report demonstrating an increase in the incidence of adenocarcinoma of the cervix in young white women since the early 1970s. The trend does not appear to be due to improved histologic classification over time. Case-control studies are clearly needed to investigate the reasons for the increase, including the hypothesized association with use of oral contraceptives before 20 years of age. However, the low incidence of the disease in young women (in whom an increased risk is most likely to be detectable, should it exist) suggests that collaborative efforts will be required to achieve even modest sample sizes.