NHS officials have urged women to attend cervical screenings after figures have shown that a third of those under 50 do not take up their invitation.
It was noted: “each year, about 3,200 women in the UK are diagnosed with cervical cancer and 850 die from it. It is the 14th most common cancer affecting women in Britain, with women aged 30 to 34 most likely to be diagnosed with it.”
The disease develops when abnormal cells appear in the lining of the cervix and grow. Eventually they come together as a tumour. Then the cancer can spread to other parts of the body – If the cells are not caught early enough.
Of the 11 million eligible women aged 25 to 49, only 65.8% were said to have taken up their invitation and be screened on time as of December 2023. This was “lower than the 74.1% among those aged 50 to 64”.
Cervical screening programme
NHS England on their website state the NHS cervical screening programme in England is offered to people with a cervix aged from 25 to 64. It is mentioned “routine screening is offered every three years up to 49 years of age and every five years from 50 to 64 years of age. Depending on the result of the screen, people may be recalled earlier than these routine intervals.”
According to the NHS all samples taken at cervical screening appointments are now being tested for high-risk Human Papillomavirus (HPV) in the first instance, as part of the NHS Cervical Screening Programme. HPV is the virus which causes nearly all cervical cancers. The NHS state: “samples that test positive for HPV will then go on to be further analysed with Liquid Based Cytology to detect cell abnormalities. The new test will identify more people at risk of cervical cancer earlier and could prevent around 600 additional cancers a year.
HPV is a very common virus which affects around 8 in 10 people; it is nothing to be embarrassed about, and in many cases, your immune system will naturally get rid of HPV.”
Making it easier to get appointments
Steve Russell, chief delivery officer and national director for vaccinations and screening for NHS England, was quoted in The Guardian as saying: “We have set an ambitious target of eliminating cervical cancer within the next two decades – one of the few countries in the world who have committed to this – and we are doing everything we can to achieve our ambition by making it as easy as possible to make appointments, and continuing to send invites and reminders to all eligible women.
“But in order to make this a reality we need to see more women coming forward for their cervical screening appointments when invited – even if you previously missed your appointment, don’t wait around for another invitation before contacting your GP practice – you can still book in now and this could save your life.”
For more information on the cervical screening programme, please visit the NHS cervical screening pages here. Alternatively, you can visit the gov.uk website or Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust’s website .
