TUH Talks: The importance of screening for Cervical Cancer ….

In this month’s Tallaght University Hospital (TUH) Talks Health Column, Sinéad Cleary Advanced Nurse Practitioner in Women’s Health at TUH outlines what every woman can do to eliminate Cervical Cancer in Ireland by 2040.

In Ireland on average 292 women are diagnosed with cervical cancer annually and 90 women die from the disease.

The WHO defines elimination as fewer than four cases per 100,000 women meaning it will become very rare.  Currently Ireland has a cervical cancer rate of 10.1 women per 100,000.

The first step towards elimination here is that 90% of girls are HPV vaccinated by age 15 – right now we have an 84% coverage rate.

The next step is a 70% HPV cervical screening coverage for eligible women every five years – at the moment we have a 73% coverage rate. The final step towards elimination is that 90% of women identified with cervical disease receive treatment – we currently have a 97% treatment rate.

HPV vaccination is the first and arguably most powerful tool in our Cervical Cancer elimination arsenal because we know that we now have a safe effective vaccine which protects against the types of HPV that cause nine out of 10 cervical cancers and is particularly effective when given at age 12 – 13 years.

This is why all first year students are offered the vaccine as part of the routine school immunisation programme.

HPV stands for the Human Papillioma Virus which is spread through skin to skin contact.  80% of men and women come in contact with HPV across our lifetime and most will clear it within 18 months to two years.

However about 20% of us may not clear the HPV infection and it can become persistent and possibly cause abnormal cells which sometimes can develop into a cancer over 15 to 20 years. This is why cervical screening is so important.

Cervical Check invites women for cervical screening between the ages of 25 and 65.  Cervical screening is an intimate internal examination that takes a brushing of cells from the cervix. These are then tested first for the presence of the HPV virus and then for abnormal cells if the HPV virus is found.

This is a very sensitive test which Ireland moved to in 2020 to identify healthy women who have HPV and may need a further examination called a colposcopy.

Cervical screening is for healthy women but it is also very important that if women have any symptoms they are concerned about they should discuss these with their GP.

The symptoms to be aware of include bleeding in-between periods, bleeding after intercourse or after the menopause, abnormal vaginal discharge that may have a foul smell, pelvis pain or discomfort or pain or discomfort after sex.

Cervical Check also arrange colposcopy which is a closer look at the cervix for women who have persistent HPV and/or abnormal cells and may need treatment.  The GP may also request a specialist review with a Gynaecologist depending on the woman’s symptoms.

Cervical Cancer elimination is a real possibility for Ireland if we increase the coverage rate of HPV vaccination in schools and we go for screening when we get our letters from Cervical Check.

March 4th marks HPV & Cervical Cancer Awareness Day, highlighting the importance of understanding and preventing Human Papilloma Virus (HPV).