'Nuns, virgins, and spinsters'. Rigoni-Stern and cervical cancer revisited

Cervical cancer is considered to be rare among nuns. The British Department of Health currently does not consider screening for cervical cancer necessary for nuns, virgins, or spinsters. However, various studies that have examined the incidence of cervical cancer among nuns do not confirm that this malignancy is particularly rare among nuns. Most studies have reported a large number of tumors of unspecified sites among nuns, and some of these may be cases of cervical cancer. Hence, the incidence of cervical cancer among nuns may actually be underreported. Cervical cancer is more common among women who have been married than among women who have never been married, and is most frequent among women aged 55 years and older. However, cancer of the uterus is more common among women with no previous pregnancy, such as nuns. Cervical cancer causes 74 deaths per million women annually, and ranks seventh in causes of death due to malignancy among women. The frequency of cervical cancer is similar to that of cancer of the bladder, esophagus, and uterus, and leukemias. Review of the literature indicates that the death rate due to cervical cancer among nuns is similar to that among other single women. The false belief that cervical cancer is rare among nuns could result in misdiagnosis and failure to provide appropriate treatment; reluctance to record the correct diagnosis due to disbelief or desire to protect the nun's reputation; and absence of routine screening for cervical cancer among nuns. The development of symptoms of cervical cancer, including irregular vaginal bleeding, bleeding between menstrual periods, and recurrent discharge from the vagina in a nun should suggest a need for a thorough pelvic examination. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)