Understanding Cervical Cancer: What You Need to Know
Cervical cancer is one of the most preventable cancers in Australia. With advances in screening and a very successful vaccination program, Australia is on an extremely likely path towards eliminating cervical cancer.
In November 2023, Australia launched the National Strategy for the Elimination of Cervical Cancer. This aligns with the World Health Organisations Strategy and is set to achieve:
>90% Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) vaccination for Australian boys and girls. This is usually done in grade 7 at school.
Ensure >70% of eligible individuals participate in 5 yearly HPV screening.
Make sure that >95% of detected pre-cancerous and cancerous cases get appropriate treatment.
To achieve this, it is important for doctors and the Australian population to stay informed and up to date with screening.
What Is Cervical Cancer?
Cervical cancer occurs in the cells of the cervix — the lower part of the uterus that connects to the vagina. It usually develops slowly and is most often caused by a common virus called human papilloma virus (HPV). Most HPV infections clear on their own, but in some people, the virus can cause cancer by infecting the cells lining the cervix and inserting its genetic material into them. Over time, this can interfere with normal cell functions, leading to changes in the way cells grow and divide. In some cases, these changes become permanent, and the abnormal cells may develop into cancer if left undetected and untreated.
Who Is at Risk?
Anyone with a cervix who is sexually active is at risk of contracting HPV, and therefore of developing cervical cancer. Risk increases with:
Being over 25
Smoking
Long-term use of oral contraceptives
A weakened immune system E.g. those with cancer, on immunosuppressants or with chronic medical conditions.
The Role of Vaccination
The incidence of cervical cancer has drastically reduced since the introduction of the HPV vaccine in 2007. Australia is now on track to becoming the first country in the world to eliminate cervical cancer.
In 2018, we switched to the nonavelent HPV vaccine which protects against approximately 90% of the high-risk HPV types.
The Role of Screening
Australia has one of the best cervical screening programs in the world. In 2017, the traditional Pap smear was replaced with a more effective Cervical Screening Test (CST), which detects HPV before cancer has a chance to develop.
Key facts:
Cervical screening is recommended every five years for people with a cervix aged 25 to 74.
In 2022, self-collection was added. This is just as accurate and can feel more comfortable. Learn more about HPV self-collection on the Cancer Council website.
The main difference between a self-collect and a doctor-collect pap smear or cervical smear is that the self-collect just checks for the presence of the HPV virus. If this is negative, you do not need to do anything for another 5 years. However, if it is positive you will need to see your doctor for a doctor-collect cervical smear. A doctor-collect cervical smear collects cells from the cervix so that the sample can be tested for HPV virus and if present cells can be examined under the microscope to see if any HPV related changes have begun to take place. This is important because the pathway from HPV infiltration to cancer is slow and well understood so under the microscope we can access how significant a person’s HPV related changes are.
Even if you’ve had the HPV vaccine, screening is still important. This is because the vaccine cannot prevent all cases of HPV.
Signs and Symptoms
Cervical cancer often doesn’t cause symptoms in its early stages, which is why regular screening is so important. However, symptoms to look out for include:
Unusual vaginal bleeding (between periods, after sex, or after menopause)
Pelvic pain
Unusual vaginal discharge
If you notice any of these, see your GP promptly.
What You Can Do
Make sure you're up to date with your cervical screening test.
Ask your GP about self-collection if you’ve delayed screening due to discomfort or embarrassment.
Encourage your friends and family to get screened.
Ensure your children receive the HPV vaccine when it is offered at school.
Final Word
Cervical cancer is one of the few cancers we can effectively prevent through vaccination and regular screening. If it’s been a while since your last check, now is a great time to book an appointment. It could save your life.
Our practice has a cervical cancer screening nurse clinic on a Saturday! Our nurses are fully training to do everything that might be needed for these appointments. The out-of-pocket cost will be less than it would be for seeing a doctor and we are hoping this will be convenient for our patients who find it difficult to get to the clinic during the working week.
Bookings can be made by calling Leichhardt General Practice on (02) 9561 0300 or Inner West Womens’ Health on (02) 8880 1011 or you can use our website. Bookings are open on HotDoc