Association between metabolic syndrome and cervical cancer among women in Southwestern Uganda: A case-control study

Objective: To determine the association between MetS and its components with cervical cancer among women in South-western Uganda. Methods: We conducted an unmatched case-control study on 470 participants in a 1:2 case-to-control ratio among women in southwestern Uganda. We recruited 157 women with cervical cancer as cases and 313 women without cervical cancer as controls at the Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital Cervical Cancer Clinic. We assessed for MetS using the National Cholesterol Education Programme Adult Treatment Panel III (NCEP ATP III) criteria. We used a multivariable binary logistic regression analysis to determine the association between MetS and its components with cervical cancer adjusted for potential confounders. We reported the adjusted odds ratios (aOR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI). Results: Cases were significantly older than controls: 52.4 +/- 13.15 versus 41.9 +/- 11.9 respectively, p <0.001. We found MetS was independently associated with cervical cancer (aOR 1.66; 95% CI 1.07-2.57). Age >= 50 years (aOR-2.20; 95% CI 1.35-3.56), HIV infection (aOR 2.51, 95% CI 1.56-4.05), increasing parity (aOR 1.16,95% CI 1.06-1.26), and a lack of formal education (aOR 6.41, 95 % CI, 1.33-30.86) were also associated with cervical cancer. However, none of the components of MetS was associated with cervical cancer. Conclusion: In Ugandan women, MetS was associated with a higher likelihood of cervical cancer. We, therefore recommend combined screening for MetS and cervical cancer in order to reduce morbidity and mortality from both Mets and cervical cancer.