It’s been five years since the ‘Jade Goody’ effect sent scores of women diligently keeping their smear test appointments, and with that time lapse has come a slow decrease in cervical smear test coverage.
Women aged between 25 and 45 are reportedly least likely to keep up to date with their cervical smear appointments, which could be problematic or even fatal.
The point of undergoing a smear test is so that doctors can spot any abnormalities that could lead to cancer.
For 1 in 20 women the test WILL show some abnormalities in the cells of the cervix.
This does NOT mean that you have cancer, it simply means that more tests are needed and in some cases ‘pre-cancerous’ cells will be removed in a routine treatment.
If these abnormal cells are discovered then you will need to return more regularly for tests to make sure no cancer cells haven’t developed.
3,000 cases of cervical cancer are diagnosed in the UK each year, but if caught early then chances of survival greatly increase. Smear tests enable any cancerous cells to be found early.
So what are you waiting for? Phone your GP and make sure you’re up-to-date with your cervical smear tests!
Find out more about signs and symptoms of cervical cancer here.