Simon Says: Cervical Cancer Awareness (Just The Facts)

How common is cervical cancer?

Cervical cancer is the eleventh most common cancer in women in the UK and the third most common gynaecological cancer after uterus (womb) and ovary.
There were almost 3,500 new cases of cervical cancer diagnosed in the UK in 2009, that is around 9 women every day.
Around 6 in 10 of all new cases of cervical cancer are diagnosed in women under 50 years, that’s around 1,900 cases each year.
Cervical cancer is the most common cancer in women under 35 in the UK.
Overall, cervical cancer incidence in Britain decreased by nearly half between the late 1980’s until the early 2000s, but in the last decade has seen an increase of nearly 10%, mostly in women in their late 20s.
Cervical cancer accounts for around one in ten cancers diagnosed in women worldwide.
Worldwide, more than half a million women were diagnosed with cervical cancer in 2008.
Cancer of the cervix is the most common cancer diagnosed in women in Southern Africa and Central America.

Two thirds of women with cervical cancer survive their disease for five years or more.
Cervical cancer survival is higher in women diagnosed at a younger age. Women under 40 years of age have survival rates of almost 90%.

Around 940 women died from cervical cancer in 2010 in the UK, that is more than 2 every day.
In the UK, it is rare for young women to die from cervical cancer; around three-quarters of all cervical cancer deaths occur in women aged 50 and over.
Cervical cancer death rates have decreased by 70% in the UK since the early 1970s.
Worldwide, more than 275,000 women died from cervical cancer in 2008.

Infection with the human papillomavirus (HPV) is the main risk factor and a necessary cause of cervical cancer.
Women with HIV/AIDS are at increased risk of cervical cancer.
Women with a sister or mother who has had cervical cancer are at increased risk of developing it themselves.
Smoking increases risk of cervical cancer.
Long term use of the oral contraceptive pill increases the risk of cervical cancer.

The NHS Cervical Screening Programme was set up in 1988 by the Department of Health.
Cervical screening can prevent around 45% of cervical cancer cases in women in their 30s, rising with age to 75% in women in their 50s and 60s, who attend regularly.

HPV vaccination in schools was introduced into the national immunisation programme in 2008, for girls aged 12-13.

Cervical cancer - UK	Females
Number of new cases (UK 2009)	3,378
Incidence rate per 100,000 population*	10.1
Number of deaths (UK 2010)	936
Mortality rate per 100,000 population*	2.3
One-year survival rate (for patients diagnosed 2005-2009, England)	83.6%
Five-year survival rate (for patients diagnosed 2005-2009, England)	66.6%
Ten-year predicted survival rate (for patients diagnosed 2007, England and Wales)

1 in 5 Women Are Still Missing There Smear Test! Why?

Speak to you Doctor or GP and see if you have missed an appointment and get it done, it could litteraly save your life.

If you would like to either read more or donate to help support Cervical Cancer please click the link below.