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Cancer Screening Service
Cervical screening is offered to all women aged 25-64. This is because most cervical cancers develop between these ages.Women aged 25 to 49 are screened every 3 years and women aged 50 to 64 every 5 years.
Cervical screening is not a test to find cancer. It is a screening test to detect changes to the cells of the cervix, which are called cervical abnormalities. These are ‘pre-cancerous’ changes which could lead to cancer if they are not treated.
Cervical screening aims to reduce the numbers of deaths from cervical cancer by:
It is estimated that cervical screening saves approximately 4500 lives per year in England.
The number of cases of cervical cancer has gone down by nearly a half since the screening programme was introduced in the late 1980s and deaths have fallen by two thirds.
Still, cervical cancer remains the most common cancer in women under 35.
Having regular cervical screening offers the best protection against developing cervical cancer. Regular screening means that the any changes can be spotted and treated early. Early treatment is very effective at preventing cancer developing.
Patients diagnosed after screening usually have early stage disease, and five year survival for these is 93% compared to less than 10% at stage four disease.
You will receive your first invitation in the post around 6 weeks before your test is due. This gives you time to book an appointment at your GP practice.
If you forget to make an appointment a reminder will be sent.
We know most women of screening age have busy lives. GP practices are encouraged to offer flexible times for appointments including early mornings, evenings and even weekends.
The letter includes a leaflet which explains screening. It is also available in other languages, in easy read and in MP3 format for people with sight loss.
Cervical screening (which used to be called the ‘smear test’) involves taking a small sample of cells from the surface of your cervix.
The whole appointment will take no longer than 20 minutes and the actual procedure takes around three minutes. The nurse or doctor will explain what is going to happen and ensure you understand.
You will be asked to undress from the waist down (if you are wearing a skirt you can leave this on and just remove your knickers) and to lie on an examination bed on your back either with your legs bent up or with your ankles together and your knees apart. You will be allowed time and privacy to remove your lower clothes, get onto the couch and cover yourself before the sample is taken.
Your practice nurse will then insert an instrument called a speculum into your vagina. Some clinicians may use lubricant on the speculum, which will make it easier to insert into your vagina. The speculum will be gently opened inside your vagina, allowing the nurse to see your cervix. A specially designed brush is used to take a sample of cells from your cervix.
The sample is sent to a laboratory and checked under a microscope to see if there are any abnormal cells. Abnormal cells are not cancer, but they could develop into cancer if they are left untreated.
You will receive a letter in the post telling you the results of the test between 2 and 4 weeks later. 94 out of every 100 women tested have a normal result and they will be recalled for screening in 3-5 years dependent on their age.
If you have an abnormal result, your sample may be tested for a virus called human papillomavirus (HPV), which can cause cervical cancer.
As a next step you may be offered another test (called a colposcopy) to look at your cervix more closely. If the person carrying out the colposcopy finds abnormal cells, they will
suggest that you have the cells removed, usually during another colposcopy. This is how screening can prevent cervical cancer.
A colposcopy will usually be carried out at an outpatient clinic at a hospital. About half the women who have a colposcopy are found to have abnormal cells that need to be removed.
Occasionally colposcopy may show that you have cancer. Cancers diagnosed through screening tend to be found at an earlier stage. Women who have early stage cervical cancers are more likely to survive than women with later stage cancers.
A negative screening result means there is a very low risk of you developing cancer before your next screening. However, it is helpful to know the signs of cervical cancer. Look out for anything that is unusual for you, especially the following:
• bleeding between your periods, after sex, or after the menopause
• vaginal discharge
• pain or discomfort during sex
If you have any of these changes, see a doctor as soon as possible. Don’t wait for your next cervical screening appointment. Usually these symptoms won’t mean you have cancer, but if you do, getting it diagnosed and treated early can mean you are more likely to survive.
Having cervical screening lowers your chances of getting cervical cancer.
Almost all cases of cervical cancer are caused by HPV infections. HPV can be passed on through any type of sexual activity with a man or a woman.
Women and men who have had more sexual partners are more likely to get HPV infections. But HPV is so common that most people will have the virus at some point in their life.
Smoking increases the risk of cervical cancer because it makes it harder for your body to get rid of HPV infections.
Girls aged 12 to 13 are now offered a vaccination to protect them against most of the types of HPV that cause cervical cancer. But it is still important for women who have had the vaccination to attend for screening as it cannot provide complete protection.
If you have any questions about cervical screening, you can talk to your GP or practice nurse.
Reference the leaflet here
For more information go to the resources page by clicking on the tab at the top.