Symptoms of this disease could often be dismissed for something else, but getting screened can ensure any cancerous cells are picked up early.
The NHS has urged eligible people to come forward for a potentially life-saving screening that could help spot a deadly cancer in its early stages. This disease can be hard to spot since the symptoms can be linked to other conditions, but attending your screening could ensure you get the treatment needed quickly.
In a post made to X, the health body reminded people to attend their cervical screenings. Also known as a smear test, this routine check can alert doctors to the presence of “high risk” cells in the cervix that can become cancerous.
“Cervical screening saves thousands of lives every year,” the NHS said. “If you missed, or did not book, your cervical screening appointment, you can contact your GP surgery or local sexual health clinic to book now.”
Currently the screening is offered to women and people with a cervix aged 25 to 64. Depending on your age and where you live you will be issued an invite every three to five years.
NHS England says the programme saves around 5,000 lives a year. However, data from 2023 showed that nearly a third of eligible people, around 4.6 million, did not take up their latest test.
It is thought that the programme, combined with the introduction of the HPV vaccine, has helped to almost eradicate the disease in the UK. Cancer Research UK says that since the early 1990s, cervical cancer incidence rates have decreased by around a quarter (24 percent) in the UK.
GP and NHS England’s deputy medical director for primary care, Doctor Kiren Collison, said: “We have made great progress on our Cervical Screening Programme and the combined effects of the HPV vaccine and the new, more sensitive way of screening for cervical cancer means that we have the opportunity to eliminate cervical cancer altogether.
“Having the potential to completely eradicate a disease that affects thousands of people every year is remarkable, but in order to do this, it is vital that people take up the offer of a test – so if you have received an invitation, or missed your last screening, don’t wait to make an appointment, put your health first and book an appointment with your GP practice or sexual health clinic today – getting checked can save your life.”
Cervical cancer is a cancer that’s found anywhere in the cervix. It’s most common in women aged between 30 and 35, but it can happen at any age.
Nearly all cervical cancers are caused by an infection from certain types of human papillomavirus (HPV), which is the kind of cell the screening seeks out.
The NHS lists the most common symptoms of cervical cancer as:
- Vaginal bleeding that’s unusual for you – including bleeding during or after sex, between your periods or after the menopause, or having heavier periods than usual
- Changes to your vaginal discharge
- Pain during sex
- Pain in your lower back, between your hip bones (pelvis), or in your lower tummy.
However, these signs could be mistaken for the effects of the menstrual cycle or other conditions like fibroids or endometriosis. The NHS says you should speak to your GP if you notice any symptoms of cervical cancer.
