What is Cervical Screening?

Cervical screening is not a test for cancer. It is a method of preventing cancer by detecting and treating early abnormalities which, if left untreated, could lead to cancer in a woman's cervix (the neck of the womb).

A sample of cells is taken from the cervix for analysis. Liquid based cytology (LBC) is a new way of preparing cervical samples for examination in the laboratory. A doctor or nurse inserts an instrument (a speculum) to open the woman's vagina. The sample collects cells from the neck of the womb using a brush. The head of the brush, where the cells are lodged, is broken off into a small glass vial containing preservative fluid, or rinsed directly into the preservative fluid. The sample is sent to the laboratory where it is spun and treated to remove obscuring material, for example mucus or pus, and a random sample of the remaining cells is taken. A thin layer of the cells is deposited onto a slide. The slide is examined in the usual way under a microscope by a cytologist. Gloucestershire is using the new liquid based cytology method of taking cells as it reduces the number of inadequate samples and fewer women are recalled for repeat testing.

Why screen?

Cervical screening is very important because we can stop cervical cancer from developing in the first place. Nearly 2,800 women were diagnosed with cervical cancer in the UK in 2004.

Who is Screened?

In England, women between 25 and 64 years are screened.

How often are women invited for screening?

The screening interval is the time between smears. We can pick up the most cancers by screening women 3 yearly if they are 25 to 49 years old and 5 yearly if they are between 50 and 64.

It is acceptable for women of 50 or more to have 5 yearly smears. Screening 3 yearly doesn't give any extra protection for this age group as abnormal cells usually develop more slowly in women over 49.

Vaccines for preventing HPV

Women who get cervical cancer have had past infections with the Human Papiloma Virus (HPV). HPV is nearly always sexually transmitted. A vaccine to prevent HPV infection has now been licensed for use within the European Union. This vaccine protects against the strains of HPV that are most likely to cause cervical cancer. But it is not complete protection against all strains. As it takes between 10 and 20 years for a cervical cancer to develop after HPV infection, it will still be important for women to carry on with cervical cancer screening. It will take some years before the introduction of a vaccine has a major effect on the number of cases of cervical cancer.

Cervical Vaccination Programme

The Government has announced that from September 2008, all girls aged 12 or 13 in England will be routinely offered the HPV vaccine. It is essential people are aware that the vaccine is most effective before women become sexually active, which is why we are offering it to teenage girls. They also announced a 2 year 'catch up' programme, starting in Autumn 2009, to vaccinate girls under the age of 18.

The Cervical Vaccination Programme will not replace the Cervical Screening Programme in the UK it will compliment the service as the vaccine does not give protection against all strains of HPV.