More women attending screening for cervical cancer

Big Brother star Jade Goody's public battle with cervical cancer served to increase awareness among British women about the importance of screenings, experts believe.

The NHS reported that last year the number of women aged between 25 and 64 being screened for cervical abnormalities rose by 12 per cent.

According to the figures, the rise in screening was more prominent among younger age groups, with coverage among 25 to 49 year-olds who had undergone smears in the previous three years growing from 69.3 per cent in March 2008 to 72.5 per cent the same time this year.

As a popular TV personality, Jade's experience and untimely death urged younger women to seek testing and follow-up appointments in order to reduce their risk.

Rob Music, director of cancer charity Jo's Trust, said: "Certainly for the 25 to 34-year olds we need to look at different ways of actually reaching that particular age group.

"Predominantly it's through increased awareness of cervical cancer ... The way Jade told her story so publicly did have an impact or was a major reason why there was an increase."

Evidence shows that 99 per cent of all cervical cancers are caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV).

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