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PURPOSE: to describe the frequency of precursor lesions of cervical cancer in 15 to 29-year-old women, associating the degree of damage with the epidemiologic characteristics and associated risk factors. METHODS: a transverse study was performed, where the precursor lesions of cervical cancer were investigated through Papanicolaou test in 15 to 29 year-old women with active sexual life, living in Rio Branco (AC), in the period from January to September 2001. The investigated data included epidemiologic information, risk factors and physical-ginecological examination results, including Schiller test and smears for cytopathologic test. RESULTS: of the 2,397 women studied, 155 (6.4%) showed some kind of cellular epithelial alteration, 146 (94.2%) squamous lesions and 9 (5.8%) glandular lesions. In 15 to 19 year old women, the frequency (6.9%) of cellular epithelial alteration was similar to that observed in 20 to 29-year-old women (p>0.65). These alterations were associated with low educational level (p<0.003), with the number of sexual partners (p<0.04), with STD history (p<0.001) and smoking habits (p<0.01). CONCLUSION: the high frequency of precursor lesions in an age lower than expected, and following an epidemiologic pattern observed in other phases of women's life, shows the early exposure to risk factors, which anticipates the development of cervical cancer.