Women's Understanding Of Cervical Cancer

• Only one in three women realises that viruses or infections could increase a woman's chance of developing cervical cancer - in fact, 99% of women with cervical cancer have the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV)
• Only half of women realise that having many sexual partners puts them at increased risk of developing cervical cancer - in fact, HPV is sexually transmitted. Fortunately, however, the vast majority of women with the HPV virus will not develop cervical cancer at all.
• Just six in ten women say that not attending cervical screening when invited could decrease a woman's chance of preventing cancer - in fact, screening detects cervical abnormalities before they become cancer, at a time when they can be most easily and effectively treated.
• Only seven per cent of women correctly assessed the proportion of potential cancers that the screening service detects - in fact, screening detects around 60-70% of potential cervical cancers.
• Only six per cent of women correctly estimated the number of women with cervical cancer who survive after treatment for at least five years - in fact, the five year survival is about 60%*

These are the findings of a new survey commissioned by Imperial Cancer Research Fund from MORI.**

Professor Jack Cuzick, Head of Maths, Statistics and Epidemiology at Imperial Cancer Research Fund, said: "We have a responsibility to ensure that women understand the importance of screening which has been so effective in reducing deaths from cervical cancer, but also its limitations. The government also has a responsibility to introduce proven new technologies to ensure that it is offering the best screening service possible.

"The current smear test is more than 60 years old and needs to be updated. Studies have shown that liquid cytology is a better system than the current one, and also facilitates the use of HPV tests where appropriate. Women need to be confident that the screening system is as up-to-date as it can be."

Background Brief: Imperial Cancer Research Fund is dedicated to the prevention, treatment and cure of all forms of cancer. Its 1,000 scientists and doctors are at the forefront of the worldwide effort to find new answers to cancer. The charity relies overwhelmingly on voluntary funding to carry out its vital work.

Technical details

*Adjusted for those who would have died within 5 years from other causes **The MORI poll was undertaken on 3-7 February 2000 as an omnibus survey, interviewing approximately 1,000 women aged 15+ in Great Britain conducted in-home, face-to-face. The sample is representative of the female population in Great Britain, and interviews were conducted in around 156 sampling points. ***Liquid cytology is a new technology in which the smear specimen is placed in a liquid for transport. The cells can then be separated from debris and a thin layer deposited on a glass slide. This allows for more accurate and faster reading of the sample and minimises operator error. It is currently being investigated by NICE, the National Institute of Clinical Excellence.