Increase in numbers of women diagnosed with serious cell changes that could develop into cervical cancer.

The Office for National Statistics disclosed that 27,438 cases of carcinoma in situ of cervix uteri were recorded in 2008, which can turn malignant if left untreated.

This represents a 19.2 per cent rise on the 23,023 cases recorded in 2008, with the biggest rises among 15 to 19 year-old girls and women aged between 25 and 29.

Robert Music, Director of Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust said, “This increase is likely to be down to the ‘Jade Goody’ effect, which saw a significant increase in the numbers of women attending cervical screening as a result of Jade’s very public battle with cervical cancer. However, it is important to keep a careful eye on the situation. We will need to look at the figures for 2009-10 to see if this trend continues, as numbers of women who attended screening went down that year compared to 2008-9.”

“Cervical cancer is a largely preventable disease and one where women can take proactive steps to reduce their risk. Despite this over 20% of UK women do not attend cervical screening and the impact Jade Goody had clearly showed the importance of increasing public awareness of cervical cancer prevention. We would like to see increasing and ongoing investment in public education which is very much in line with the new cancer strategy. Persuading more women to attend screening will quite simply save more lives!”