Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 2008. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
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Belfast Telegraph (12.02.08) - Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Margaret Davis
Most cases of cervical cancer are caused by the STD human papillomavirus (HPV). Smoking increases the risk for developing the disease, said Sara Hiom, director of health information at Cancer Research UK.
For the study, NCIN analyzed more than 25,000 cervical cancer cases diagnosed between 1995 and 2004. It found that in the poorest areas, including parts of the Northeast such as Newcastle and Gateshead, and in Liverpool in the Northwest, 12 women per 100,000 were diagnosed with the disease from 2000 to 2004. By comparison, in the more affluent Surrey and on the south coast, the cervical cancer rate was half that number.
"These striking figures show there is still much more that needs to be done to tackle cancer in low-income communities," said David Forman, a University of Leeds professor and NCIN associate.
"Our figures suggest that women living in poorer areas are less likely to attend cervical screening than women who are better off, so they are more likely to develop the disease," said Forman. "Higher rates of smoking in most deprived areas and the earlier onset of sexual activity also contribute to the higher rates of cervical cancer."
"It's clear that much more needs to be done to encourage women from low-income communities to attend cervical screening," said Hiom. Previous National Health Service research shows low-income women are 40 percent less likely to be regularly screened for the disease, though all women ages 25-64 in England are urged to get tested every three to five years.
In September, the government began an HPV vaccination program for girls ages 12-13.
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