Every day 9 women in the UK are diagnosed with cervical cancer and 3 women will lose their lives to the disease, and though it’s the most common cancer in women under 35 it is largely preventable.
The cancer is mostly preventable these days thanks to cervical screening and the HPV vaccination programme.
But, statistics show that the number of women aged 25-29 years of age being screened for cervical cancer is the lowest in any age group and numbers attending for screening are falling year on year.
Surveys undertaken by cancer charities indicate embarrassment and a lack of understanding of the causes of cervical cancer may be behind the fall in numbers attending.
The number of women dying from cervical cancer has halved over the past 27 years as a result of the NHS screening programme, as well as improvement in treatment.
Despite this success over 3,000 women are diagnosed with cervical cancer each year.
The majority of women diagnosed with cervical cancer have delayed coming forward for screening which has impacted on their ability to have early changes treated.
In Bath and North East Somerset for example, over 8,000 eligible women have not gone for screening in the last 3 years.
Nigel Acheson, NHS England South Region Medical Director and lead for Cancer said: “We have noticed a fall in attendance of younger women over the past few years, and this decline in attendance for screening is now linked to showing a rise in the incidence of cervical cancer in women under 35.”
NHS England and Public Health England are supporting European Cervical Cancer Prevention Week which runs from 24th – 30th January.
The week aims to raise awareness of the importance of cervical screening and its role in preventing cancer, as well as encouraging women to go for their screening test when invited.
Mr Acheson, who is a consultant gynaecological oncologist (a specialized field of medicine that focuses on cancers of the female reproductive system) added: “It is really important for young women to understand the importance of attending cervical screening as it can detect pre-cancer abnormalities, which, if left untreated, may develop into cancer.
“Screening is for people without symptoms as a preventative measure.
“The screening test is relatively simple, takes about 5 minutes and is performed by the Practice Nurse at your GP Surgery.
“95% of results will be normal and of those that are not, the vast majority can be treated very easily and will never develop in to cancer.”
NHS England’s Screening and Immunisation teams work with GP practices to increase awareness and are supporting Cervical Cancer Prevention Week.
Dr Ardiana Gjini, NHS England Consultant in Public Health Medicine said: “Cervical cancer usually has no symptoms in the early stages, which is why it’s very important that women attend their regular cervical screening appointments.
“Cancer of the cervix is usually easier to treat the earlier it is diagnosed and cervical cancer at an early stage can often be treated with a single operation.
“The chances of having improved outcomes and preventing life threatening issues is much better in cases that have been detected early.
“Women shouldn’t put off their screening and should book an appointment with their GP as soon as they are notified. The testing takes only five minutes and could well save their life.”
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Rule of Law
Saturday 23rd January, 2016 at 00:27The other medically preventable cancer is bowel cancer: pre-cancerous “polyps” can be removed during colonoscopy.