There are many people who would like to lower the age of cervical screening and the evidence shows that this does not make any difference to the rates of cervical cancer in very young women. The most important way to protect most women against this type of cancer is by having the vaccination which protects against most strains of the Human Papilloma Virus.
This virus, known as HPV, is something most sexually active people will get.Most of us will deal with it, but some people,especially if they smoke, will not be able to get rid of it and it will lead to some cancers including cervical and vulval. In men oral,and penile cancers occur as a result.
We need to protect our young people and the government is doing this by offerning this immunisation, but sadly many people block their children having it, and as a result condemn them to the possiblity of developing these ghastly cancers.
Smear testing is so important for over 25 and this is the age recomended by the World Health Organisation who constantly research screening- it is nothing to do with governments, The Netherlands begin aged 30, Wales and Scotland 20s and it does not affect the survival of people from these cancers.The sad results are just the same here in England and elsewhere.
Tragically those getting cervical cancer when young, will get a viscious form of it which would not be picked up by screening.
Please check out the website of the WHO for details and other links from pants website.
25-35 year old are vulnerable to a more slowly growing cancer which can be detected at the smear test and they should all have this test.Younger people suffer many problems if they have it earlier. Jeannette Preston RGN Former lecturer in Health and Social care and Founder of Pants, something I set up because of the tragic deaths of many young people from these ghastly cancers.

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