Women urged to get regular cervical smear tests

CERVICAL cancer rates in Ireland could be reduced if women took a more active role in encouraging their female friends to get regular smear tests for the disease, it was claimed yesterday.

The Irish Family Planning Association (IFPA) said the message needed to be communicated that the disease was highly preventable through regular smear testing as it helped to launch European Cervical Cancer Prevention Week.

According to the IFPA’s medical director, Dr Caitriona Henchion, cervical cancer is the second most common cancer in women aged under 44 in the Republic.

“Each year almost 75 lives are lost to the disease which is highly preventable with early detection of abnormal cells,” said Dr Henchion. In addition, about 180 new cases of cervical cancer on average are also diagnosed each year. “Spreading the word about cervical cancer prevention is vital,” said Dr Henchion.

The IFPA pointed out that Ireland has a national cervical screening programme in place, which means that women aged between 25 to 60 can access free testing for the disease through CervicalCheck.

Dr Henchion welcomed the introduction of the screening programme last September which she claimed was “long-awaited and much overdue”.

“Under the programme, women can attend their local GP, family planning service or other registered smear-taker to have a free smear test. The test only takes a few minutes and women only need to attend every three to five years, depending on their age,” explained Dr Henchion.

However, she also expressed disappointment at the Government’s controversial decision last year to postpone plans to introduce a programme of free HPV vaccination for young girls, which would also help to reduce the risk ofdeveloping cervical cancer.

The IFPA stressed that screening is the only way to ensure any abnormal cells in the cervix are detected and treated at an early stage because cervical cancer often has no other obvious signs or symptoms. The test involves a doctor or nurse taking a sample of cells from the cervix using a small brush which is then analysed at a laboratory.

The Lord Mayor of Dublin Cllr Eibhlin Byrne and Fair City actress Una Kavanagh launched European Cervical Cancer Prevention Week with the IFPA at the Mansion House in Dublin yesterday.

Ms Byrne, who is the mother of three girls, said it was important for women to talk to their daughters about the importance of screening for cervical cancer as part of their overall healthcare.

Ms Kavanagh, who plays Heather Daly in the soap, said all women aged 25-64 should have regular smear tests.

The IFPA is distributing 10,000 “Pearls of Wisdom” badges during the programme which runs on January 18 to 24 to raise awareness about the disease.