BACKGROUND There is a direct correlation between glycemic load and the risk of developing many malignant neoplasms. OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to determine the plasma glucose levels in women with cervical cancer. METHODS The study included 177 women with anatomopathologically diagnosed uterine cervical cancer (stages 0-IV) treated between 1980 and 2008 at the Gynecology and Obstetrics outpatient service of the UFTM, Brazil. The plasma glucose levels of all patients were assayed at the time of diagnosis and correlated with tumor staging. RESULTS We statistically compared the plasma glucose levels of group 1 (cervical intraepithelial neoplasia 2-3), group 2 (stage I-II), group 3 (stage III-IV), and group 4 (control group: leiomyomas). Patient groups with poor prognosis (groups 2 and 3) showed significantly higher plasma glucose levels (P < 0.05) than those with less aggressive lesions (group 1). Plasma glucose levels were significantly higher in groups 2 and 3 than in group 4 (P < 0.05). The comparison of number of patients with plasma glucose level >90 mg/dl showed CIN versus I/II: P = 0.0753; OR = 2.018; (95% CI: 0.9236 to 4.410) and CIN versus III/IV: P = 0.0975; OR = 2.400; (95% CI: 0.8335 to 6.911). CONCLUSIONS We observed an association between high plasma glucose levels and cervical cancer cases with poor prognoses. Plasma glucose tests should be routinely used as additional prognostic parameters in patients with cervical neoplasias.