Half of cervical cancer deaths in England now occur in women aged over 65. Most women in the NHS cervical screening programme aged over 65 have never had a test for human papillomavirus (HPV).
HPV testing of cervical samples has now replaced cytology for primary screening in many countries. There is now evidence that a large proportion of deaths after age 65 might be prevented by one sensitive HPV test. A vaginal swab taken by a doctor or the patient herself (self-sample) is likely to be the optimal testing strategy for women of this age group.
If you have exited the NHS screening programme before 2019 or have not had a cervical screening test for the last two years, please call The London General Practice for an appointment to discuss cervical screening with a doctor.