CCPW 2013 - Facts and Stats

The facts

• Cervical cancer is a largely preventable disease.
• After breast cancer, cervical cancer is the most common cancer in women aged 35 and under.
• The most common symptoms of cervical cancer are:
  • Bleeding between periods
  • Bleeding after sexual intercourse
  • Post-menopausal bleeding
  • Unusual or unpleasant vaginal discharge
  • Discomfort or pain during sexual intercourse
  • Lower back pain.
• Almost all cases of cervical cancer are caused by a common virus called Human Papillomavirus (HPV).
• You can catch the virus, called HPV as soon as you start having intimate relationships.
• Cervical screening and HPV vaccination are the best ways to reduce your risk of getting cervical cancer.
• HPV vaccination protects against two types of HPV that cause 70% of cervical cancers.
• Smoking increases your risk of getting cervical cancer.

The stats

• Every day in the UK 9 women are diagnosed and nearly 3 women die of cervical cancer.
• Over 300,000 women a year are told they may have a cervical abnormality that could require treatment.
• It is estimated that the UK Cervical Screening Programmes save 5,000 lives every year.
• It is estimated that if the HPV vaccination take up continues to reach at least 80% it is believed this could result in a 2/3rds reduction in incidence in women under 30 by 2025.
• The most recent figures for cervical screening uptake across the UK:
  • England: 78.6% (NHS National Screening Programme report 2011-12: figure represents women who have had a screening test within the last 5 years).
  • Northern Ireland: 77.3% (Northern Ireland Cervical Screening Programme 2010-11: Figures represent women who have had a screening test within the past 5 years).
  • Scotland: 73% (Scottish Cervical Screening Programme statistics 2011-12: Figure represents women who have had a screening test within the past 3.5 years).
  • Wales: 76.5% (Cervical Screening Programme Wales, 2011-12: Figures represent women who have had a screening test within the past 5 years).