Most women ignorant of virus which causes cervical cancer

Only 5% of Irish women are aware of the virus that causes cervical cancer, despite the fact four out of five women will catch it at some point in their lives, it was revealed today.

The warning comes as a new vaccine to fight the HPV virus is being made available in a historic breakthrough for women’s health.

Ireland has one of the highest rates of cervical cancer in Europe with around 1,000 new cases of pre-cancer cells found each year.

Of those, around 200 cases result in cervical cancer and on average 70 women die.

At a seminar at the Royal College of Physicians in Dublin, health chiefs and politicians were warned 25% of Irish women wrongly believe that cervical cancer cannot be prevented.

It was also claimed only one in five women are aware of the HPV virus and just 5% of women know that it causes cervical cancer.

International health experts claimed Ireland was now in a position to develop a strategy to eliminate the killer disease.

Susan Crosby of the Women in Government group from the United States, said: “Cervical cancer can be our first victory in the war on 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.”

All sexually active women are at risk of cervical cancer and up to four out of five women will catch HPV at some point in their lives. While most infections clear naturally, some may persist and lead to cancer.

Research by GlaxoSmithKline, the seminar sponsors, found just under three quarters of Irish women aged 18 to 55 had undergone at least one smear test in their lifetime.

Test rates were low among young women aged 18-24 but compliance among women aged 35-44 ran at more than 90%. Just over a quarter of Irish women 27.25% have never had a smear test.

Pamela Morton, director of cervical cancer charity Jo’s Trust, urged policy makers, the Department of Health, the HSE and GPs to push for a vaccination programme.

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

Dr Henrietta Campbell, chief executive of the All Ireland Cancer Foundation, said women could now look forward to an era were cervical cancer is eliminated.

She called on both Departments of Health, in Ireland and the UK, to follow the lead of other countries in planning an early introduction of the vaccines and said a comprehensive, high-quality cervical screening programme needed to be put in place without delay.