SMEAR TESTS: WHY YOUNG WOMEN SHOULDN’T BE AFRAID
IF you’re a woman approaching the age of 25 you’ll soon receive a letter inviting you to book a cervical screening test. The test, more commonly known as a smear test, is conducted to trace abnormal cells in the cervix.
If abnormal cells are detected they can be removed to prevent the growth of cervical cancer.
Two weeks ago I received a letter inviting me to book my first smear test.
When I opened it I thought two things – first, I need to book this as soon as I can, and second, why do young women never really talk about smear tests?
It’s one thing I have never really discussed with my female friends or even family members, and I’ve never really understood why.
It may be uncomfortable to discuss but it’s more than important.
Back in 2013 the policy for the cervical screening programme changed.
Now women between the ages of 25 and 49 are invited to be tested every three years and women aged 50 to 64 are invited every five years.
Before this women as young as 20 were encouraged to be tested every three years.
But, for whatever reason, some still don’t book an appointment, with the latest figures from charity Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust showing that across Wales attendance of people eligible for a screening is at an 11-year-low of 77%.
Maria Dullaghan, from Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire, was diagnosed with stage 1b/2a cervical cancer when she was 25 – just a few months older than I am at the moment.
Now 33, Maria has been given the all-clear but it was a shock to her when she was diagnosed – and she wouldn’t have even known if she hadn’t had a smear test.
Maria said: “I was diagnosed in October 2010.
“I had symptoms from about April time but I had my smear test in the August.
“I kept thinking ‘I must book it’ but it was just one of those things I kept putting off.”
Maria was experiencing irregular bleeding so she knew she should get tested.
Symptoms like bleeding can be associated with a number of things. This is why the signs can so easily be missed, or ignored, by many women.
According to Cancer Research Wales, common symptoms include things such as unusual bleeding, vaginal discharge and pain in the area between the hip bones.
While there are several other things which can cause these symptoms, they could also indicate the presence of cervical cancer.
Maria, who now works as a media volunteer for Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust, said: “This is the thing – the symptoms are so common, it could be 101 things.
“A lot of people don’t go because they’re embarrassed.
“I think if I had left it any longer things could have turned out a lot differently.”
As well as having a hysterectomy, Maria went on to have chemotherapy and brachyther- apy.
She’s spoken out about the importance of smear tests ever since.
While the diagnosis was a shock to her she said she focused on what she could do to get better.
“Telling my friends was really hard,” she added.
“But we always talk about it – even now we talk about getting our smears done.
“I just think they are extremely important. important.”
Assembly Member Simon Thomas said the fact attendance figures showed almost a quarter of women were ignoring invitations to attend screenings was worrying.
“Around three women are diagnosed with cervical cancer in Wales every week,” he said.
“Cervical screening provides the best protection against the disease so it is concerning to hear that so many women are not attending this potentially life-saving test w when invited.
“We all have a role to play in increasing attendance and we need to work together to ensure that women invited for their screening understand the importance of the test and are able to access the programme.
“If we do not take action to tackle declining coverage we will ultimately see lives lost which could have been prevented.”
Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust chief executive Robert Music added: “Thanks to the cervical screening and HPV vaccination programme cervical cancer is a disease that can be largely prevented.
“It is incredible to have a prev ventable cancer and we want to see it become a disease of the past. To get there we urgently need to increase uptake of cervical screening and ensure uptake of the HPV v vaccination does not slip.”
A smear test is provided by the NHS free and can be carried out at a GP surgery or sexual health clinic.