Cervical cancer screening numbers fall

The number of women screened for cervical cancer fell last year, suggesting the "Jade Goody effect" may be at an end, new figures show.

Last year 3.3 million women between the ages of 25 and 64 in England were tested for cervical cancer, compared with 3.6 million in 2008-9.

The peak cervical screening figures from last year were thought to be linked to the media coverage of the death of the 27 year old Jade Goody from cervical cancer.

The NHS Information Centre says the fall is related to women in the 25 to 49 age group, where the numbers tested fell from 3.0 million in 2008-9 to 2.6 million last year.

The figures also show the total number of women invited for screening fell for all groups aged between 25 and 49, with the exception of 25 to 29 year olds, where there was an increase of nearly 49,000 women invited.

The number of women tested fell for all groups aged between 25 and 49, who are invited every 3 years. For 25 to 29 year olds, the fall was just under 23,000, dropping to just under 566,000.

NHS Information Centre Chief Executive Tim Straughan said: “Screening is vital to catch changes to the cervix which may develop into cervical cancer. This report is important in helping NHS professionals and the public understand what percentage of eligible women is being screened.

“The 2008-09 peak in numbers attending screening, which may be due in part to publicity surrounding the late Jade Goody's battle with cervical cancer, appears not to have been sustained this year.”

This article was published on Fri 22 October 2010