More women need to take up screening

WOMEN across the borough are being urged to take up lifesaving cervical cancer screening.

Nationally, two women every day lose their lives to the disease, often diagnosed late due to lack of physical symptoms.

However, 75% of cases are preventable through screening.

In the NHS commissioning area of West Leicestershire, which includes Hinckley and Bosworth some in 2016/17, 77% of eligible women aged 25-64 years had their routine smear test last year. This is above the national average of 72%, but still below the target of 80%.

Bosses at West Leicestershire Clinical Commissioning Group are encouraging all women aged 25 -64 years to attend their appointment. It’s recommended women aged 25-49 have their cervical screening test every three years and women aged 50-64 every five years.

A letter gets sent through the post automatically when an appointment is due. Following the test, where a soft brush is used to collect cells from the cervix, the sample is sent off to a lab with results returned usually within two weeks.

Most women’s results show are normal, however, for one in 20 women the test shows abnormal changes in the cells of the cervix. These changes don’t necessarily mean cancer but they do mean further checks are required.

Leicestershire GP and CCG chairman, Professor Mayur Lakhani, said: “I understand that some women can find the smear test uncomfortable and embarrassing but it is really important that all women who receive a letter through the post attend their cervical screening test.

“Ultimately, the five minutes which the screening takes could turn out to be lifesaving. If you’re concerned about anything out of the ordinary, it is important to talk to someone about it. Just one conversation could lead to a cancer diagnosis at an early stage and the earlier we can start treating cancer, the better the outcome will be.”

For more information about the cervical screening test, visit the NHS Choices website: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/cervical-screening/