Cervical Cancer screening

I would be inclined to ring the practice nurse at your surgery and ask her to explain why you are not recalled,I would also tell her that you would like to have antoher test if only to give you peace of mind if that is what you want,I can see no reason for them to refuse you tanith Just because you are over 60 does not mean the problem would not occur,the same as when I was 40 and had the problem with ovarian cancer.

Thanks glammanana , I have to see the practice nurse next week and I had intended to bring it up with her. I just wondered whether its a nationwide practice to stop at 60 or if its up to each practice whether it carries on or not.

I think it depends. I would have always done one on request. You can always ask.

They don't just check for cervical cancer, but look at the whole of that area. After the scare I've just had I think everyone should carry on having checks done. I went to a womens health centre for my smear test; not sure if there's an age limit at them. I'll ask at work tomorrow.

We invited a female GP to a WI meeting when I lived in N Yorks and she said that the risks of developing cervical cancer after 60 are very low indeed and in fact the riskiest group are much younger women and they don't always come for their can. She did however stress that if there were any problems of worries at all of a gynae nature just go to your GP.

I guess its depend on how lately one request done, you can ask by the way.
www.healthscreening.sg

Trouble is, elnora, we're not in Singapore!

I think it must depend on your local health authority as to when they no longer call you in for a smear test. I'm pretty sure it's 63 or 64 where I live.

Yes I am sure there is an age limit I thought 65 I guess they think we are all passed it by then!

The age cut off for mammograms is 70, despite the statistics that show that the risk increases significantly as you age! You can have a mammogram after 70 but only on request. I am very worried that women over 70 might be lulled into a false sense of security. We obviously need to be aware of the need for cervical cancer screening too!

I agree Ariadne - I have just requested one although over the age limit - my mother had a radical mastectomy when she was 68 and my friend had just had a lump removed from the breast and radiotherapy and she is 84 .

It used to be 65. They raised it to 70 just in time to catch mine, when I was 66.

I loathe them -but still have to have one every 2 years - was hoping that this would gradually get less as I got older but it seems from the last two posts that it won't be the case. Isn't there something else the medical world is introducing instead of mammograms

I think it must be different for different areas. The practice nurse at my GP said I no longer needed smear tests after the age of 50. Perhaps I'll double check with them. Mammograms started at 50. My first was v. painful and had to be re-done as it couldn't be read properly. The second one was done using some sort of digital scanner, and although uncomfortable, not as painful.

50 does seem a very early age to stop cervical smear tests. I would certainly check, cheerleader.

Mmmmm most cancers are predominantly diseases of older people.
Some nice charts and further info if you follow the link. Breast cancer continues to account for a third of all cancers in the 50-74 age group.

info.cancerresearchuk.org/cancerstats/incidence/age/

Mammograms are offered up to the age of 75 in France (free.) I don't need cervical smears - one of the benefit of having a total hysterectomy.

I think I have read that many people die with cancer, but not of cancer. Some breast cancers are very slow growing, so there could be a risk of needless surgery and anxiety if much older women are tested.

That's right, Jess - 1 in 9 then increasing with age! But the stats for survival rates 5 years after diagnosis are good and getting better, and that's down to research. Talking of which, Breast Cancer Campaign, which only researches BC, has done some really interesting work on setting up tissue banks to facilitate research. Will find the link.

I think there is a national cut off age but at my previous surgery the nurse told me that after 60 the cervix had changed and it was no longer possible to collect the cells properly. However, the surgery here did one so I don't know if there is any truth in it.

My mother developed cervical cancer in her 70s and it spread and killed her.

It is definitely possible to continue with breast cancer screening, you just have to tell them you want to carry on.

Greatnan they say that about prostate cancer and older men - because if you go looking a high proportion of men in their 70s and older would have some cancerous changes, often slow moving.
But because cancer is, predominantly, a disease of ageing cells, then an awful lot of us will, eventually, die of it. The thing about BC is that it is, in early stages, usually treatable - in fact curable - AND it occurs in an organ that we can manage without. And easy to get at for screening and treatment compared to prostate gland.
There is a good reason not to do mammograms in younger women (they don't work, because breast tissue is too dense) but not older ones (apart from the "too many x rays is not a good idea" argument.
Women should definitely carry on self examining into their 70s and beyond.

I've just been doing some online research on the Cervical Cancer Screening programmes for this country, and the age ranges of women invited are:

England 25-65

Scotland 20-60

Wales 20-64

I haven't found out exactly why the start and cut-off ages vary.

info.cancerresearchuk.org/cancerstats/types/cervix/incidence/uk-cervical-cancer-incidence-statistics

ANother nice- ish graph from cancer research uk. It does show that the incidence drops - with a peak in the 40s (unusual in cancer). It is also unusual in that it is caused by a virus - so that may well relate to the age profile.
So the total number of cases in the over 50s, per year, is pretty small. Which is probably why it is not considered economical to screen - you'd have to do an awful lot of tests to detect a case.
Although it is the 12th most common in women, it is relatively rare because breast, lung and colon etc have a LOT more cases per year.

I must admit I will not be at all sorry when they stop inviting me for cervical cancer screening!

I couldn't agree more Anagram. They have stopped inviting me now that I'm 65 and it's such a relief. I have a very small cervix (according to my GP) so the test has always been a pain. On the other hand I suppose I could be told I have cervical cancer in ten years' time (assuming there are symptoms) and then it would probably be too late. Apologies for my ignorance, but what are the symptoms?

www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Cancer-of-the-cervix/Pages/Symptoms.aspx

Number one symptom I think is unexpected bleeding, in post menopausal women. See link to the very good NHS website. Fund of useful info.
I think I will carry on having them as I did have abnormal smears years ago. And my Great grandmother died of it.
Likewise I will probably carry on with the mammograms, having had one dose of BC in my 40s. If you have it once you are more likely to get a second dose.
Rang the doctor today because they want to check my BP. Apparently they have a machine where you can pop in and do it yourself. What a good way of controlling NHS costs.
I don't think DIY cervical screening is very likely though
But of course we have semi DIY colon cancer screening.