Cervical Screening Awareness Week 17 to 23 June.
The 17th to 23rd June is Cervical Screening Awareness Week. This annual event is used to raise as much awareness of cervical cancer and screening as possible. The 2022 – 2023 statistics show that over 4.62 million screening invites were sent out, but the number of women who are up to date with their screening has dropped from 69.9 to 68.7%. Cervical screening (also known as a smear test) is critical in testing for cervical cancer in women between the ages of 25 and 64, and with the drop in women attending their screening tests, it is now even more important to be spreading awareness of cervical cancer.
The aim of the test is to detect cancerous cells as early as possible, so that the treatment is as minimally invasive as it can be. During the screening, a small sample of cells from the cervix will be taken which are then checked in a lab for certain types of human papillomavirus (HPV). There is a risk that HPV cells can turn into cervical cancer cells. The test itself usually takes less than 5 minutes, and although some women find it uncomfortable, it is generally agreed that it is not painful.
If your test results come back as normal, then you do not usually need to return for another test for three years, as this tends to mean that the risk of cervical cancer is low. If the results show any abnormal cells, further tests will be needed, such as a colposcopy, which is a test to take a closer look at your cervix.
It is vital that all women that are invited for screening attend their tests and the cervical cancer statistics can begin to improve.