Key Statistics from the National Cervical Screening Program
Cervical cancer is one of Australia's most preventable cancers, largely thanks to the national cervical screening program. As a primarily slow-growing disease, it's easy to catch at the early stages, making it simpler to treat than other forms. With Australia changing to a new mode of screening, understanding the statistics so far may prompt you to engage in the new tests.
Up to 30-percent more women will benefit
According to the Australian Department for Health, around 30-percent more women will benefit from the new approach to screening. While taking the same approach that a pap test requires, your healthcare professional will test for the human papilloma virus (HPV). As various HPV strains act as the primary catalyst for cervical carcinoma, identifying its presence makes it possible for medical professionals to protect more women.
The program's uptake is low
Approximately 54% of Australian women who are eligible to take part in the screening program do so. In some cases, they state that they worry about receiving a cancer diagnosis. However, the screening test doesn't detect cancer itself in the majority of cases; instead it detects premature cellular changes that may eventually progress to cancer. While some women find that such changes reverse, others have so many cellular changes that they require treatment. In either case, early detection gives participants the strongest chance of preventing cancer from spreading elsewhere.
Thanks to the screening program cervical cancer is at a historic low
Internationally, Australia continues to lead the way in terms of preventing the disease. Around 7 in 100,000 women will receive a diagnosis and only 2 in 100,000 die. In countries where such screening programmes are not available, the deaths are much higher. For example, the developing world's cervical cancer rate is so high it accounts for 80% of diagnoses and deaths worldwide. It's thought that the developing world's statistics arise from poor access to healthcare, including no adequate screening program.
Fewer than 100 women died of cervical cancer in 2014-2015
While around 14,000 Nigerian women died of cervical cancer in 2017, fewer than 60 died in Australia. With a higher screening program attendance, there's a strong chance that medical professionals could prevent more deaths.
The national cervical cancer screening program remains as the country's most popular preventative public health measure. With the latest advances and the new HPV test, healthcare professionals are growing closer to reducing the deaths altogether. If you believe you are eligible to take part, contact a local clinic offering pap smears today
