MPHN Pushes For Higher Screening Rate

Murrumbidgee Primary Health Network (MPHN) reminds people during National Cervical Cancer Awareness Week (November 7 to 13) of the benefits of regular and early cancer screening and urges them to check if their screening is up to date.

MPHN Senior Population Health Planning and Data, Dr Jason Bennie (PhD) said cervical screening participation rates for the Murrumbidgee were significantly lower when compared to national rates.

“The most recent data suggests cervical cancer screening participation rates in the Murrumbidgee region have dropped by just over 15 per cent in the last five years,” Dr Bennie said.

“While these data do not tell us the key reasons for this decline in screening rates, it does tell us it’s time to remind people to check on their cervical cancer screening status.”

December 2022 markes five years since the National Cervical Screening Program (NCSP) changed to the five-year cervical screening program from the biennial Papanicolaou (Pap) smear test.

The new test detects human papillomavirus (HPV), a common virus transmitted sexually, and has more than a 100 genotype.

The high risk types of HPV, mainly 16 and 18, cause the majority of cervical cancers and HPV16 being by far the most dangerous type causing more than 70 per cent of cervical cancer.

An HPV test every five years is more effective, just as safe, and is expected to result in a significant reduction (24 to 36 per cent) in the incidence and mortality from cervical cancer in Australian women, compared with the old program.

Any woman aged between 25 and 74, with a cervice, that has ever been sexually active, whether she has the HPV vaccination or not, would highly benefit from cervical cancer screening.

The five-yearly program has been based on patients with negative HPV results being considered as low risk patients.

Positive HPV with or without features of cervical cell changes will undergo a different follow-up schedule and may need further tests such as a colposcopy and a biopsy.

Most cervical cancers occur in people who have never screened or do not screen regularly.

Having regular screening tests it the best way to prevent or early detect and treat cervical cancer.

If you have screened negative but still have vaginal symptoms, see your GP and get screened again.

It can save your life.

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