Abstract: Objective : To investigate the clinical and pathological features, prognosis and prognostic factors of invasive cervical carcinoma in women aged 40 and younger. Methods : 63 cases of invasive cervical carcinoma less than 40 years old were treated from 1980 to 1997, the record were retrospectively analysed, in control with 80 cases over 40 years at the same period. Results : The percentage of invasive carcinoma in young women increased from 1.8% to 16.0% in the last two decades. In the study group, the mean first mamage age were higher ,pregnancy and deliveiy numbers were lower. Compared with the control group, the percentage of contact bleeding symptom, adenocarcinoma type, low differentiated grade was higher in young women (P<0.05). The overall survival rate of 5 years in study group was 50.8% compared with 72.5% in control group (P<0.01). Young women cervical squamous carcinoma had poorer outcome, both the overall and stage II a/ H b/IH survival rate were lower than that of over 40 years. Recurrence and metastasis rate was strong higher in the study group (52.4%) than that in the control group(32.5%), the mean intei-vial from diagnosis to recurrence was 9.5 months versus 22.4 months in older group (P<0.05), and 66.7% recurrent in 1 year. Conclusions : The risk prognostic factors associated with invasive cervical carcinoma in young women included tumor maximum size (>4cm), endophytic and ulcerative tumor, advanced stage and grade, non-squamous carcinoma and pelvic lymph metastasis. There is an increasing prevalence of invasive cervical carcinoma in women under 40 years old. The prognosis is poorer than that in older women. Attention should be paid to young women with high risk factors of invasive cervical carcinoma, individual management and adequate therapy should be considered.