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Cervical cancer screening in Britain has reached its lowest level: nearly five million women are behind in their tests.
Nearly one-third of women have ignored their last invitation to an appointment, putting them at risk after several years without smears, reveal official statistics.
Participation in the cervical cancer screening program in England is at its lowest level since records began 23 years ago.
Activists want GPs to have more morning and evening screenings to facilitate screening of employed women.
Cervical cancer screening in Britain has reached its lowest level: nearly five million women are behind in their tests. Stock Photo
Only three out of twenty elderly women go to appointments, in part because of the growing problem of so-called "shame" and embarrassment during intimate examination.
The NHS cervical cancer screening program invites women aged 25 to 49 years to be tested every three years, or every five years for those aged 50 to 64 years.
But in the UK, 4.95 million women out of 17.6 million eligible for the program are late because they have not been tested, according to NHS Digital figures.
Robert Music, general manager of Jo's Cervical Cancer Trust, said, "The current statistics are extremely frustrating and, coupled with the increasing number of cervical cancer diagnoses, a huge concern.
How cancer screening has saved my life
Laura Flaherty was screened and diagnosed for early stage cervical cancer
Laura Flaherty was dying, but she did not know it.
In 2015, she was diagnosed and diagnosed with early-stage cervical cancer.
The manager of the Leigh store in Greater Manchester had delayed her for more than two months because she was embarrassed.
Miss Flaherty, 32, a mother of two, said, "If I had not left, someone should tell my children that I died because I was too embarrassed to undergo a screening test.
"Nobody wants to show his private parts to a stranger. But it can save your life.
"I had no symptoms, so without it, it would have been too late for me by the time it was discovered. I have been free of cancer for two years now.
"However, it was not easy. My treatment, a hysterectomy, meant that my fertility had been removed, which is extremely difficult.
In an appeal to others, she said, "Smear tests are so important. Please, take your invitation.
"At a time when we should make testing easier, it's getting harder and harder to access. Many struggle to get screening appointments from their GP, access through sexual health is down and provisions are limited for those who need additional support. & # 39;
He said the program was effective, but left by a computer system "ready to collapse" and that Britain was left behind by countries such as Australia, where the elimination uterine cervix cancer was "on the horizon".
Mr. Music added, "We can not sit idly by and let the coverage of uterine cancer screening continue to collapse, otherwise the diagnoses of this often preventable cancer will increase."
Each year, approximately 3,200 Britons are diagnosed with cervical cancer and 1,000 die each year.
However, cervical cancer rates are expected to increase by almost 40% within 20 years.
Experts say another 2,000 women would be killed by the disease each year without the program.
Screening looks for pre-cancerous cells that can be treated before they develop into tumors that can spread throughout the body. This involves taking a sample of cells from the neck of the uterus to look for abnormalities.
In 2017/18, in England, 74% of women aged 25 to 64 had been tested in the last five years, the lowest level since 1995, when 82% had been tested.
The screening program has been credited with a 44% reduction in the rate of cervical cancer since the 1970s. The death of reality star Jade Goody with cancer in 2009 provoked an outbreak among women participating in screening. But this effect has since weakened.
The new data suggests that younger women in particular are not tested, with a participation rate of only 61% among 25 to 29 year olds in England. Mr. Music said, "The participation rate of young women is extremely low.
"The embarrassment is an important factor for many women and our research has shown that more than a third of young women have fallen behind for this reason. There are a variety of other reasons, including physical barriers, fear, low risk perception, or lack of understanding of the purpose of the test. & # 39;
Participation is also very low among people over 60: 69% last year, compared to 70% the previous year.
Experts think it's because women assume the risk is over 60.
Women are invited to undergo 12 cervical cancer screening tests in their lifetime. But they may only need seven screenings once a new HPV virus test – a major cause of cervical cancer – will be in place. 39, here the end of next year.
The numbers come after the NHS was shaken this month by the news that 43,000 letters inviting women to submit to a smear or reminding them of a reminder had not been sent between January and June, and that Another 4,500 letters concerning screening results were not sent.
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