Increasing Cervical Cancer Mortality and Persistent Regional Inequalities in Brazil: A Population-Based Study
Gonçalo Zardin Chechi, Luísa Schafre, Mariana Schlindwein Afonso, Larissa Felin, Carolina Silva FernandesPURPOSE
To analyze temporal trends in cervical cancer mortality in Brazil during the post-pandemic period, evaluating changes in mortality rates and the age profile of affected patients.
METHODS
A retrospective ecological study was conducted using secondary data from the Mortality Information System (SIM/DATASUS), available through the Brazilian National Cancer Institute (INCA) Cancer Mortality Atlas. Deaths from cervical cancer (ICD-10: C53) among Brazilian women between 2020 and 2024 were analyzed. Variables included absolute number of deaths, mortality rates, proportional mortality by region, and age distribution of deaths. Data were organized into tables and analyzed descriptively.
RESULTS
Between 2020 and 2024, a total of 34,912 deaths from cervical cancer were recorded in Brazil, with a progressive increase in annual deaths from 6,627 in 2020 to 7,493 in 2024. The crude mortality rate increased from 6.19 to 6.88 deaths per 100,000 women during the analyzed period. The highest age-specific mortality rates occurred among women aged 70 years or older, particularly in the ≥80-year age group, which reached a mortality rate of 24.1 deaths per 100,000 women in 2024. Important regional disparities were observed. The North region presented the highest proportional mortality rates throughout the study period, reaching 2.50% in 2023, whereas the Southeast region showed the lowest values, ranging from 0.55% to 0.77%. The Northeast and Midwest regions also demonstrated proportionally higher mortality rates compared to the South and Southeast regions.
CONCLUSION
The findings demonstrate a progressive increase in cervical cancer mortality in Brazil between 2020 and 2024, with a substantial impact on older women and persistent regional disparities. The North region presented proportionally higher mortality rates compared to other regions of the country, highlighting inequalities in access to prevention, screening, and treatment strategies. These findings reinforce the need to strengthen public health policies aimed at cervical cancer control, particularly in socially vulnerable regions, in order to reduce health inequities and improve oncologic outcomes in Brazil.