Our clinical column: Why keeping up to date with cervical screening is important
This month (June) marked Cervical Screening Awareness Week (19-24 June), highlighting the vital importance of regular cervical screening to help detect early changes and reduce the risk of cervical cancer.
What is cervical screening?
- Cervical screening (a smear test) checks the health of your cervix. The cervix is the opening to your womb from your vagina.
- It's not a test for cancer, it's a test to help prevent cancer.
- All women and people with a cervix aged 25 to 64 should be invited by letter.
- During the screening appointment, a small sample of cells will be taken from your cervix.
- The sample is checked for certain types of human papillomavirus (HPV) that can cause changes to the cells of your cervix. These are called ‘high risk’ types of HPV.
- If these types of HPV are not found, you do not need any further tests.
- If these types of HPV are found, the sample is then checked for any changes in the cells of your cervix. If abnormal cells are detected, you will then be invited for a more detailed examination. Sometimes, if needed, a simple treatment may be carried out to remove the abnormal cells before they get a chance to turn into cervical cancer.
- The nurse or doctor will tell you when you can expect your results letter.
Why is cervical screening important?
- Cervical screening is one of the best ways to protect yourself from cervical cancer.
- Cervical screening is not a test for cancer, it's a test to help prevent cancer.
- Cervical screening checks a sample of cells from your cervix for certain types of human papillomavirus (HPV).
- These types of HPV can cause abnormal changes to the cells in your cervix and are called ‘high risk’ types of HPV.
- If these types of HPV are found during screening (an HPV positive result), the sample of cells is then checked for abnormal changes. If abnormal cells are not treated, they may turn into cervical cancer.
- Finding high risk HPV early means you can be monitored for abnormal cell changes.
- Some abnormal changes may need to be treated so they do not get a chance to turn into cervical cancer.
All women and people with a cervix between the ages of 25 and 64 should go for regular cervical screening. You'll get a letter in the post inviting you to make an appointment.
Please contact your GP in between being invited for screening if you're worried about symptoms of cervical cancer such as:
- Bleeding between periods, during or after sex, or after you have been through the menopause
- Unusual vaginal discharge
Do not wait for your next cervical screening appointment.
For more information, please refer to www.nhs.uk.
Best wishes
Sally Antoniades
Lead nurse colposcopist practitioner and nurse hysteroscopist
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