Cervical cancer rise in young women

Jade Goody, who died of cervical cancer at the age of just 27

Published: 1:32am, 5th November 2011
Updated: 1:25pm, 5th November 2011

Cervical cancer rates have risen sharply among women in their 20s, according to new figures.

Incidence of the disease across England rose by 43% between 1992-94 and 2006-08.

Women in England are invited for cervical screening every three years from the age of 25 while those in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are screened from the age of 20.

The screening age in England was raised from 20 to 25 in 2003 but the Department of Health says lowering the age again could cause too many false positive results, leading to unnecessary and potentially harmful treatment for women. Experts at Cancer Research UK, which analysed the data, said changing the screening age is not a driver behind the rise in cancer rates.

The figures showed that cervical cancer rates among women in their 20s have continued to rise despite overall incidence of the disease dropping by about a third. In 1992-1994, about six women aged 20 to 29 in every 100,000 (around 215 per year) were diagnosed with cervical cancer. This increased to around eight per 100,000 between 2006 and 2008 (around 283 cases per year).

Individual figures for 2007/08 suggest the problem could be getting worse, with around nine women in every 100,000 developing cervical cancer in that year. In comparison, rates among women aged 50 to 79 have dropped significantly over the same period.

Robert Music, director of Jo's Cervical Cancer Trust, said: "The results of this research are a big concern as we know that cervical cancer is a largely preventable disease thanks to cervical screening.

"But reminding younger women that they can take proactive steps to reduce their risk of cervical cancer by attending screening continues to be a very real challenge. Around 34% of women aged 25-29 didn't attend screening last year whilst in Wales and Scotland which start screening at 20, almost half of those aged 20-24 did not take up their invitation.

"It is essential we make every effort to find targeted ways to educate and persuade younger women to attend screening when invited and remind them that quite simply it could save their life."

TV star Jade Goody died from cervical cancer in 2009 at the age of 27, prompting some campaigners to call for the age to be lowered back to 20.