25% women ignorant of cervical cancer prevention

ONE-IN-FOUR Irish women, quite wrongly, believe cervical cancer cannot be prevented, a new study has found.

And only 5% of women are aware of the virus that causes cervical cancer, despite the fact that up to 80% of sexually active women will catch it at some point in their lives.

While most infections caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV) clear naturally, some may persist and lead to cervical cancer.

Ireland has one of the highest rates of cervical cancer in western Europe with 180 new cases annually and more than 70 deaths from the disease each year.

Around 1,000 new cases of pre-cancer cells are found each year and, if identified early, can be treated so the cancer never develops.

But research by GlaxoSmithKline found that one-in-three women said they knew very little about the disease.

International experts attending a conference at the Royal College of Physicians in Dublin yesterday said, because of recent scientific breakthroughs, Ireland is now in a position to roll out a world-class cervical cancer strategy.

Health Minister Mary Harney has promised to introduce a national screening programme by 2008 and cervical cancer vaccines will also become available.

Susan Cosby, of the Women in Government Group in the US, said cervical cancer could be the first victory in the war against cancer.

“By ensuring that women are educated about this disease, and the virus that causes it, and that they have access to preventive technologies, regardless of socio- economic status, we can ensure that no more women die of this preventable disease,” Ms Cosby said.

GlaxoSmithKline, the seminar sponsors, found over a quarter of Irish women (27.25%) never had a smear test. And just under three-quarters of Irish women, aged 18 to 55, had undergone at least one smear test in their lifetime.

While test rates were low for young women aged between 18 and 24, it increased to more than 90% for women aged between 35 and 44 .

Pamela Morton, director of the British cervical cancer charity, Jo’s Trust, urged policy markers, the Department of Health, the Health Service Executive (HSE) and GPs and parents to push for the implementation of a universal vaccination programme as soon as possible.

“This is a unique opportunity for a cancer to be prevented in future generations and one that should not be delayed,” she said.

Dr Henrietta Campbell, chief executive of the All Ireland Cancer Foundation, said the HPV vaccines had ushered in a new era of cancer prevention.

“We could now look forward to a future where cervical cancer could be eliminated,” Dr Campbell said.

She urged departments of health in Dublin and Belfast to follow the lead of other countries in planning early introduction of the vaccine.