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8400913 
Journal Article 
On the etiology of cancer of the uterus 
Stein Werblowsky, R 
1973 
11 
6 
229-232 
English 
It is well known that certain exogenous factors are involved in the etiology of cancer of the cervix (low socioeconomic class, precocity and frequency of sexual relations, multiparity, absence of circumcision in the partner) and that certain endogenous factors are associated with that of cancer of the body (obesity, hypertension, diabetes, delayed menopause). This study seeks to identify the responsibility of spermatozoa considered as the principal mutagenic agent in the causation of cancer of the uterus. This causation depends upon the nature of the mutagen and its ability to penetrate the nucleus of the host cell and to combine with its genome. An attempt was made to produce evidence of such a spermatic penetration and to identify such modalities in the rat. It seems probable that following such a 'somatic fertilisation', the incorporation of the male genome presupposes cellular accessibility (sites of preimplantation, junction of squamous and columnar epithelia, where the epithelium is modified, everted or distended), involves stromal cells, and also supposes a latent phase prior to the induction of neoplastic proliferation in response to the action of a further stimulus (hormones, smegma). Variations in the action of these different factors seem to offer an explanation of the various known etiological influences: for example, the avoidance of sexual intercourse during the menstrual and postmenstrual periods and during pregnancy and the puerperium for religious reasons might explain the low incidence of cancer of the cervix in Jewish women.