Published on: 6 December 2023
Cervical screening (sometimes called a smear test) checks the health of your cervix and helps find any abnormal changes before they can turn into cancer. It's not a test for cancer, it's a test to help prevent cancer.
Cervical screening is available to anyone with a cervix between the ages of 25 to 64 in the UK, eligible people will be contacted and asked to make an appointment.
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 high risk types of HPV are found during screening, the sample of cells is also checked for abnormal cell changes.
If abnormal cells are found, they can be treated so they do not get a chance to turn into cervical cancer.
During cervical screening a small sample of cells is taken from your cervix for testing.
It's usually done by a female nurse or doctor. Before starting, they should explain what will happen during the test and answer any questions you have.
The cervical screening test itself should take less than 5 minutes. The whole appointment should take about 10 minutes.
Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust have useful tips to make your cervical screening more comfortable and better for you. You can view them here Our cervical screening tips | Jo's Cervical Cancer Trust (jostrust.org.uk)
The HPV vaccine helps protect against human papillomavirus (HPV). It's recommended for children aged 12 to 13 years old and people at higher risk from HPV.
The HPV vaccine reduces your chances of getting human papillomavirus (HPV), a common virus that's spread through skin contact (usually when having sex).
Most types of HPV are harmless. But some types are linked to an increased risk of certain types of cancer, including cervical cancer.
The HPV vaccine is given as an injection into your arm.
The number of doses you need depends on your age and how well your immune system works:
Since the vaccine has been used, there has been a big drop in the number of young people getting conditions linked to HPV, such as cervical cancer and genital warts.
Research suggests that over time the HPV vaccine will help save thousands of lives in the UK.
For more information about cervical cancer prevention, visit Cervical Cancer Prevention Week | Jo's Cervical Cancer Trust (jostrust.org.uk)
Follow us on social media: @CanAlliance_SYB
There are no upcoming events.