This is the disease par excellence where screening has led to a dramatic decrease in the incidence of the fatal (invasive) form of the cancer. The reason has been given earlier - viz. that the cancer has a long (many years) precancerous form that can be detected and dealt with (cured) at that early pre-invasive stage.
In the UK at present, there is a highly organised cervical screening programme. More than 80% of pre-invasive disease will be picked up if a 5 yearly screening programme is implemented, but in the UK currently once three yearly screening is recommended to all over thirty five years and who are sexually active, in the attempt to raise this to over 90%.
The screening procedure is simple and performed usually by general practitioners or trained nurses. It involves the scraping of a sample of cells from the lining of the cervix by use of a smooth wooden spatula called an Ayre’s spatula. The cells that are obtained are spread onto a microscope slide, and then fixed and stained for cytological review by experts in the field.
