Cervical cancer is one of the most common cancers among women and people with a cervix in the UK. According to research from the HPV Information Centre, a joint project by The Catalan Institute of Oncology and the International Agency for Research on Cancer, cervical cancer is the 12th most common cancer among women in the UK, and the 2nd most common among women between the ages of 15 and 44 years old.

Estimates by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) indicate that just under 3,000 new cases of cervical cancer are diagnosed in the UK each year. 75% of these cases are diagnosed through cervical screenings, which highlights the important role played by these tests in treating and preventing cervical cancer at an early stage. 
As September is Gynaecological Cancer Awareness Month, the team at JMW has put together a guide to the statistics on cervical cancer incidence and survival, information on the importance of cervical screenings, and guidance on your legal options if you believe there was a delay in diagnosis of your cancer, you have concerns about the reporting of your smear tests or your cancer was not treated properly.

What Is the Cervical Cancer Incidence Rate?

Estimates of cervical cancer incidence rates in the UK differ, but generally suggest that around 3,000 - 3,300 people are diagnosed with the condition each year. NHS figures suggest that 3,200 cases of cervical cancer are diagnosed every year in the UK, and Cancer Research UK estimates 3,300 new cervical cancer cases annually, while NICE puts the figure at just below 3,000.

Almost all cervical cancers are tied to persistent infection with high-risk strains of the human papillomavirus (HPV). HPV infection is common, especially soon after a person becomes sexually active. While most infections resolve without treatment within 1-2 years, HPV is still responsible for 99.8% of cervical cancers according to NHS England. In a study by the UK Health Security Agency, HPV was found to be prevalent in younger women. HPV‑16 and HPV‑18, two of the highest-risk HPV types, had an incidence rate of 35% among 16-24-year-old survey participants.

How Effective Are Cervical Screening Programmes?

The UK's cervical screening programme is very successful at diagnosing cervical cancer and identifying risks that could potentially result in a person going on to develop cervical cancer, for example abnormal cells. It is therefore vital for people with a cervix to attend cervical screenings whenever they are invited. These screenings are one of the most effective ways to prevent cervical cancer, by addressing risk factors such as abnormal cells that could, over time, develop into cervical cancer if left untreated. In fact, the NHS estimates that regular cervical screening programmes are effective at preventing 75 per cent of cervical cancers from developing. Alongside cancer prevention, they also represent an opportunity to diagnose and treat cervical cancer at an earlier stage, which can significantly improve your prognosis.

It is important to note that cervical cancer is not the only gynaecological cancer, nor the only cervical disease that can be identified by screenings. As mentioned, HPV, pre-cancerous cells and cell changes can be detected alongside cancer, which further contributes to the importance of people attending screenings when called. However, according to the NHS, only 40 to 50 per cent of women and people with cervixes attend screenings when invited to, which means that the efficacy of the programme can vary depending on whether people come forward for their cervical screening.

Alongside the cervical screening programme, the UK introduced a mass immunisation programme in 2008, with young people given an HPV vaccination, which protects against cervical cancer as well as other forms such as anal, mouth and throat, head and neck, and penile cancers. However, while this has led to a reduction in HPV infections and should ultimately have a significant impact on the rates of cervical cancer and other HPV-related cancers, the cohort of young people who received the first wave of vaccinations has not yet reached the age at which they are at the highest risk of contracting cervical cancer. It may therefore take longer to know the true impact that the programme has had. 

That said, by tackling the human papillomavirus that can lead to cancer, the HPV vaccine offers an opportunity to effectively eliminate cervical cancer, or at least minimise the incidence rate and address its prevalence as one of the most common cancers among women.

What if Doctors Miss Your Symptoms?

Even when people attend the necessary cervical cancer and primary HPV screenings, there is a small risk that precursors of cancer, for example abnormal cervical cells, may be missed. When abnormal cells are identified, patients should be referred for further tests, for example a colposcopy to undertake a closer examination of the cells in the cervix, or a biopsy to estimate the risk of developing cervical cancer or diagnose the condition. This can then lead to treatment to remove the abnormal cells, which is a quick procedure, usually performed on an outpatient basis under a local anaesthetic, that can help prevent cervical cancer.

In the majority of cases, the recommendations that follow cervical smear tests are actioned correctly, but unfortunately in a small number of cases, cervical smears can be misreported. I have acted for a number of people where this has sadly happened, and this has resulted in abnormal cervical cells not being diagnosed and treated, which would have avoided the progression to cervical cancer and the need for more aggressive treatment. 

Given the non-invasive nature of the treatment of abnormal cells and the high survival rate of cervical cancer when it is caught early, it can be frustrating to learn that your condition worsened due to medical mistakes that could have been avoided. Much of JMW's work on behalf of people making cervical cancer claims is in helping them to get the answers they need and secure a settlement to help with the suffering they have endured due to medical mistakes, and we have seen first-hand the impact this can have on people's lives.

If you have concerns about the standard of your cervical cancer screening or treatment you received, call us on 0345 872 6666 or use our online enquiry form to get in touch and learn how JMW can help.