‘Fewer smear tests needed after HPV vaccination’

Women who have been given the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine may only need three cervical screenings in their lifetime, a study has said.

Researchers found that smear tests at the ages of 30, 40 and 55 could offer the same benefit to vaccinated women as the 12 currently offered.

HPV is thought to cause nearly all cervical cancers and a vaccination against it has been offered to girls aged 11 to 13 since 2008.

The Cancer Research Ukfunded team at Queen Mary University of London said cutting the number of screenings for vaccinated women could save the NHS time and money.

Professor Peter Sasieni, Cancer Research UK’S screening expert and lead author of the study, said: “These women are far less likely to develop cervical cancer so they don’t need such stringent routine checking as those at a higher risk. This decision would free up resources for where they are needed most.”

The research, published in the International Journal of Cancer, comes ahead of changes to cervical testing to be introduced in England by December 2019. The new programme will see cervical samples tested for HPV but only checked for abnormal cells if the virus is found. Scotland and Wales are also preparing to introduce this new HPV test.