Intersecting Burdens: HIV Prevalence and Cervical Cancer Progression Among Women in the Eastern Cape, South Africa: A Retrospective Descriptive Study.

BACKGROUND: Cervical cancer remains a leading cause of cancer-related mortality in low- and middle-income countries, especially in sub-Saharan Africa, where the HIV epidemic further amplifies the disease burden. HIV-positive women are at greater risk for persistent HPV infection and accelerated cervical cancer progression. METHODS: A cross-sectional analysis was conducted using secondary data from 606 women diagnosed with cervical cancer in the Eastern Cape, South Africa. Key variables included age, HIV status, antiretroviral therapy (ARV) usage, cancer stage, and referral modality. Descriptive statistics and multivariable regression analyses (STATA v16) were used to assess relationships between clinical and demographic variables. RESULTS: HIV prevalence among cervical cancer patients was 60.23%. Most patients (68.48%) presented with stage III cancer, indicating delayed diagnosis. HIV-positive women were significantly older than their HIV-negative counterparts by 9.2 years on average (β = 9.20, p < 0.001). Age was positively associated with later cancer stages (β = 1.91, p = 0.019). ARV uptake was high (60.89%) and strongly predicted by HIV status (β = 0.96, p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: The findings emphasize a critical overlap between HIV and cervical cancer, particularly among older women. Despite robust ARV coverage, the high rate of late-stage presentation points to gaps in early detection and the integration of HIV and cancer services. Strengthening cervical cancer screening, especially for HIV-positive women, is essential to improving outcomes.