Millions of women who missed out on vital cancer screening to be sent groundbreaking at home testing kits - are you eligible?

Daily Mail​

4 hours ago

Millions of women will be offered DIY cervical screening tests they can do at home in a bid to boost uptake and cut deaths from the disease.
The initiative will see women who fail to attend an in-person check sent a self-sampling kit in the post which can be returned via pre-paid mail.
Those who found to have the human papillomavirus (HPV), which causes most cases of cervical cancer, will be encouraged to see a clinician.
The Department of Health and Social Care said the new approach could save up to 5,000 lives a year across England.
It said that the new programme 'specifically targets those groups consistently missing vital appointments' including younger women, those from minority ethnic backgrounds, people with disabilities and LGBT-plus people.
The UK National Screening Committee backed the move in March, with the rollout expected to begin next January.
The NHS offers cervical screening tests—previously known as smear tests—to all women aged 25-64 every three years.
But many people do not take up the offer, with a number citing a lack of time, discomfort or embarrassment.
Data published by the NHS last November showed five million women are not up to date with routine check-ups.
Now, officials have said that at-home kits will be offered to women who have rarely or have never attended their cervical screening.
Research has suggested that offering DIY testing kits could boost uptake.
The YouScreen trial, which was led by King's College London in partnership with NHS England, found that offering self-sampling kits to 'under-screened' women when they attend their GP practice and by posting kits to women's homes could boost uptake in England by about 400,000 each year.
Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting said: 'These self-sampling kits represent healthcare that works around people's lives, not the other way around.
'They put women firmly in control of their own health, ensuring we catch more cancers at their earliest, most treatable stages.
'Our 10-year health plan will fundamentally reform the NHS, shifting focus from treating illness to preventing it before it starts.
'We know the earlier cancer is diagnosed the better the chances are of survival.
'By making screening more convenient, we're tackling the barriers that keep millions of women from potentially life-saving tests.'
The test checks cells for the presence of human papillomavirus (HPV), a sexually transmitted infection that has no symptoms but is known to cause 99.7 per cent of all cervical cancers.
If HPV is detected, women are invited for another check a year later, with further investigations ordered if the cells show abnormalities that could develop into cancer.
Dr Anita Lim, chief investigator of the YouScreen trial from King's College London, added: 'This is a significant step forward for cervical cancer prevention and brings us closer to the NHS goal of eliminating the disease by 2040.
'The YouScreen trial, which provided self-sampling HPV kits to under-screen women in London, demonstrated that self-sampling could reach people who find it difficult to attend traditional screening—including those from diverse and underserved populations.
'It's hugely positive to see this now reflected in national policy, helping more people get protected from this highly preventable cancer.'
Michelle Kane, NHS England's director of screening, added: 'There are a number of reasons that stop some women taking up the offer of screening and we hope the introduction of self-testing will encourage more women to take up this life-saving test in a way that works for them.
'I'd encourage anyone who gets an invite for a cervical screening, either from their local GP practice or the NHS App, to attend and if you have any worrying symptoms, please contact your GP. It could save your life.'
The announcement comes just a fortnight after health minister Ashley Dalton told Parliament that millions of women will be invited to cervical cancer screening less frequently under NHS plans to slash unnecessary appointments.
From next month, those aged 25 to 49 who test negative for HPV will only be recalled for screening every five years rather than every three.
NHS England said the change will 'enable millions of women and people with a cervix in England to benefit from more personalised cervical screening'.
Currently, women aged 25 to 49 in England are offered cervical screening every three years, extending to every five years for those aged 50 to 64.
Beating cervical cancer must mean beating it for all says Cancer Research UK's CEO
In the UK, hundreds of women die every year from cervical cancer and around 3,300 new cases are diagnosed.
The mortality rate has dropped by around three quarters since the early 1970s, thanks to the success of vaccination programmes, screening, and the tireless work of NHS staff. But that progress, including NHS England's ambitious goal of eliminating the disease by 2040, could be at risk.
Around 25 years ago, Cancer Research UK scientists helped uncover the link between human papillomavirus (HPV) and cervical cancer—which causes 99.7 per cent of cases. This discovery laid the foundation for modern screening and vaccination programmes, and today anyone aged 11 to 13 is eligible for vaccination in the UK.
Worryingly, the number of people getting the HPV vaccine is heading in the wrong direction. Before the pandemic, around 89 per cent of year 9 girls were vaccinated, but by 2023-4, this fell to around 74 per cent.
And in the same year, just 76.9 per cent of women were screened for cervical cancer by the age of 35. This falls well short of NHS England's targets of 90 per cent vaccination uptake and 80 per cent of screening uptake.
This problem needs to be addressed. We know that some women receive their screening invitation and think, 'Do I really want to do this? Will it be awkward? When will I find the time?'
Our own surveys show that barriers like embarrassment, worries about pain, and work commitments stop nearly 30 per cent of people from attending screening.
That's why today's announcement from the Department of Health and Social Care to introduce self-sampling home kits is such an important step forward.
It will help to break down some of the barriers people face and has the potential to improve participation rates in cervical screening by allowing people to take a sample in the privacy of their own home.
We know this approach works. The YouScreen trial, led by Dr Anita Lim and supported by Cancer Research UK, provided HPV self-sampling test kits to over 8,000 women who were at least six months overdue for cervical screening. The results saw a 22 per cent increase in women being tested who had previously not attended screening.
However, if NHS England is to reach its ambitious target-the UK government must commit to investing more in cancer research, as well as rolling out innovations, like self-sampling, to reach the people who need them most.
More must be done to tackle the inequalities that still exist in our healthcare system, particularly improving access for those in deprived areas and ethnic minorities who face challenges in accessing appointments.
For now, if you receive a screening invitation, or a self-sampling kit, please consider attending or using it, and encourage your loved ones to do the same. Beating cervical cancer means beating it for everyone, so I urge all parents and guardians to ensure young people don't miss out on getting the HPV vaccine.
Behind the nine women diagnosed with cervical cancer in the UK every day is a person—a mother, a daughter, a friend. With bold action, we can ensure that we can bring about a world where everybody can live longer, better lives, free from the fear of cancer.