Cervical cancer
About 2,800 women are diagnosed with cervical
cancer in the UK each year. Overall, 2 out of every 100
cancers diagnosed in women are cervical cancers. But it is the
second most common cancer in women under 35 years old.
Symptoms
The most common symptom of cervical cancer is
bleeding from the vagina at other times than when you are having a
period. You may have bleeding:
- Between periods
- After or during sex
- At any time if you are past your menopause
Some women also have:
- A vaginal discharge that smells unpleasant
- Discomfort or pain during sex
There are many other conditions that cause
pain related to sex. Most of them are much more common than
cervical cancer. But you should go to your doctor straight
away if you have any of these symptoms. You probably don't
have cancer. But if you do, the sooner you are treated, the
more likely you are to be cured and usually the less treatment you
will need to have.
Pre-cancerous cell changes do not usually have
any symptoms. Which is why it is so important to have a
regular smear
test.
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). Cervical screening is very
important because we can stop cervical cancer from developing in
the first place. This is one of the few cancers that is
preventable because pre-cancerous cell changes can be picked up
before they have a chance to develop into a cancer.
Early treatment can prevent those cervical changes developing into
cancer.
Cervical screening is a free and confidential
service offered by the NHS to all women aged 25 to 64. Around your
25th birthday you’ll receive a letter from your GP inviting you to
book an appointment for a cervical screening test (If you are over
25 and have not yet received your letter, call your GP and let them
know). After your first test, you will receive invitations every
three years between the ages of 25 and 49. You will then be invited
every five years between the ages of 50 and 64.
The Cervical Screening
Test
The screening test is called sometimes a
cervical smear or a smear test.
You can have a smear test at a family planning
clinic or at your GP and you can ask for a female nurse or doctor
to do your smear test. You are also
welcome to bring a friend or relative with you to the
appointment.
The test takes just a few minutes. You might
experience some discomfort, but it is helps if you can relax. If it
is painful, let the doctor or nurse know. The doctor or nurse will
ask you to lie down on a couch and use a small brush to pick up
some cells from the cervix. They will transfer these cells into a
small container of liquid, and send it away for the cells to be
examined under a microscope. You may experience minor blood
spotting after your test, but this is normal and won’t last for
long.
Remember - you should try to
make your smear appointment for the middle of your menstrual cycle
(between your periods). You cannot have a smear while you are
having a period.
The lab will send your results back to you
within 2 weeks of the test being taken. Make sure your GP has your
correct address. Your results letter will come in an envelope
marked with the NHS logo, with no mention of cervical screening on
the envelope.
Your Cervical Screening
Results
The letter will advise of your results, and
what to do next. The results can be normal, abnormal or borderline.
Or if the smear could not be read properly for some reason (this is
called an ‘inadequate’ result), this means you have to have the
smear test retaken.
9 out of 10 smear results are normal. If your
test is clear, you will not need to do the test again for another
three years if you are under 50, or another five years if you are
under 64.
If the test finds some changes in your cervix
then you might be invited for further tests to investigate. If
abnormalities are found, this does not mean you have cervical
cancer. It means that some of the cells were slightly abnormal and
that if they were left untreated, they could go on to develop into
cervical cancer. Finding these changes early means that they can be
treated before cancer develops. About 1 in 250 women show moderate
or severe cell changes and these women will go on to have tests to
investigate further.
You can talk through your results with your
nurse or GP, no matter what the results might be.
In the meantime, if you have any symptoms such as abnormal
vaginal discharge, pain or bleeding after sex, see your GP.
