Cervical Screening Awareness Week 19 to 24 June

1 in 4 don't attend their cervical screening test.

A cervical smear test checks for abnormal cell changes in the cervix. Cervical cell changes are common, and often improve naturally. But sometimes these changes need treatment because there is a risk they may develop into cancer. How your cervical smear sample is tested depends on where you are in the UK.  In England, Scotland and Wales, the sample is tested for a virus called HPV first. Samples that show high-risk HPV are then checked under a microscope for abnormal cells. In Northern Ireland, the sample is checked for abnormal cells first. Wherever you have your smear test, the aim is to find the small number of people who need treatment to prevent cancer.

Cervical cancer starts in the cells in the cervix. The cervix joins the top of the vagina to the lower part of the womb. 

Cells are the tiny parts that make up your body. Your body makes new cells to replace old ones when they are hurt or die. This happens in a controlled way – for example, if you cut your hand, your body sends a message that new skin cells should be made to heal the cut. If cells change and grow in an uncontrolled way, they can form a lump. This is sometimes called a tumour. 

Cervical cancer can develop on the outer surface of the cervix and inside the cervix in the cervical canal. Most cervical cancers develop where these parts of the cervix meet – an area called the transformation zone.

The main cause of cervical cancer is a virus called high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV). High-risk HPV sometimes causes changes in the cells of the cervix, which can develop into cervical cancer. On average this happens slowly, between about 5 and 20 years.

Knowing about risks can be helpful, as it can help you understand more about what you can and can’t control. But it is important to remember that having any or all of the risks we talk about on this page does not mean you will definitely develop cervical cancer. 

For further information about Cervical Screening Awareness Week please visit the Macmillan Cancer Support Website.