Experts reinforce the importance of cervical screening

The number of women taking up potentially life-saving tests to prevent cervical cancer seems to be dwindling, according to UK charity Jo's Trust.

A year after the untimely death of Jade Goody as a result of the disease, experts are worried that less women are attending important cervical screening programmes.

Figures show that in 2008-09, the numbers of eligible women undergoing smear tests increased by just under 400,000 - a rise of around 12 per cent on the back of Jade's cervical cancer awareness campaign.

Infection of the human papillomavirus (HPV) can lead to cancers of the cervix, vulva and vagina in women.

Robert Music, director of Jo's Trust, said: "In young people, the rates of HPV are very high. There is a view among clinical professionals that if there is HPV testing, it shouldn't be for women under 30.

"HPV is very common and mostly harmless, so there are concerns about offering this test to women when HPV is very common."

Cancer Research UK reports that there are around 2,800 new cases of cervical cancer diagnosed nationwide each year.

Waist to Height Ratio is a better predictor of heart disease and diabetes risk than body mass index (BMI), according to new research. British scientists analysed a team of 300,000 people, and found that Waist...

Only one in five people in the UK eat the recommended five portions of fruit and veg a day, according to a new poll. The YouGov survey of more than 2,000 UK adults, carried out for the World Cancer Research...

The number of people dying from cancer in their 50’s has fallen to its lowest record level. Figures from Cancer Research UK show a 40 per cent drop in cancer deaths among 50 to 59 year olds. Now, 185 in...

Experts at Oxford University have recommended a 20 per cent fat tax on sugary drinks to help with the UK’s obesity crisis. A recent study published in the Lancet Journal warned that almost half of British men...

A survey by Macmillan Cancer Support has revealed that people are often unprepared for the financial cost of cancer. Research by Macmillan Cancer Support has shown that the average cancer patient in Wales...