New insight on smear testing
Tues April 7th, 2009
Smear testing for women has played a big role in ensuring that cancers are detected much earlier than in the past, researchers reported today.
The cervical screening programme aims to find abnormalities before they become cancerous.
The new study suggests that even when an abnormality is cancerous, the disease is likely to be detected much earlier than if a woman did not go for screening - giving her a much better chance of beating it.
The report in BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology is highly topical following the high profile funeral at the weekend of TV celebrity Jade Goody, who died from the disease.
The study in Hampshire, UK, also showed that cancer was more likely to be found in younger women - and often took two tests to identify.
Researchers studied nearly 400 women diagnosed with the disease over an 11 year period, identifying whether they had been screened and looking at the impact of screening on their fate.
Researcher Dr Amanda Herbert, of St Thomas' Hospital, London, said the findings also highlighted the need for improvements in the quality of screening introduced about ten years ago.
She said: "Cancers in women screened within five years were more likely to be screen-detected, early stage cancers in younger age groups.
"It shows the importance of regular screening, especially in young women in whom most cases of high-grade CIN are successfully treated and in whom early screen-detected cancers are more likely to be found."
Journal editor Professor Philip Steer said: "This study demonstrates that in addition to lowering overall cancer rates, cervical screening can also help to detect cervical cancer at an earlier stage, leading to better outcomes.
"Cervical cancer screening remains an important way to prevent cervical cancer."
Herbert A, Anshu, Gregory M, Gupta S, Singh N. Screen-detected invasive cervical carcinoma and its clinical significance during the introduction of organized screening. BJOG 2008; DOI: 10.1111/j.1471-0528.01989.x.
Tags: UK News | Women’s Health & Gynaecology | Cancer
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