Cervical Smears

Cervical Screening

Women between the ages of 20 and 64 should have a cervical smear test every three to five years. Your doctor will discuss this with you. Cervical cancer is the second most common cancer after breast cancer, accounting for about 15% of all cancers in women. It is known that before cancer of the cervix develops, there are 'early warning' changes in the cervix which are detectable by taking a smear. Once detected, the progression to cancer can be halted with the appropriate treatment. Screening and treating before cancer develops has led to a fall in the number of cases of cervical cancer by almost one half.

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). The first stage in cervical screening is taking a sample using liquid based cytology (LBC).

Early detection and treatment can prevent 75 per cent of cancers developing but like other screening tests, it is not perfect. It may not always detect early cell changes that could lead to cancer.

To have your smear test you need to book an appointment with any of the Nurses or Dr Agha. You will have recieved an invitation from the Health Authority for routine testing. A smear can be taken anytime during your cycle as long as you are not bleeding.