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Age

Posted: Mon Jun 24, 2019 3:21 pm
by Dizzy2220
I have just had a cervical smear and as I am 61 have been told that this is the last one. Does this mean that I will not get cervical cancer, or because of my age I don't matter?

Re: Age

Posted: Thu Jun 27, 2019 5:58 pm
by Stamatina Iliodromiti
Cervical cancer usually develops very slowly. It is estimated that it takes between 10 and 20 years for the virus infection to develop into abnormal cervical cells, and then on into cervical cancer. As cervical cancer develops so slowly, it is highly unlikely that women over 64 who have been regularly screened will go on to develop the disease. Anyone who has had an abnormal screening result around this age will continue to be invited. If a woman over 64 has never had cervical screening, or hasn’t had screening since she was 50, then she is entitled to be screened. An appointment can be made with her local GP practice.