I’ve never had a smear test and I don’t want one either

In this case women have a test and men are lacking a comparable test. So we're doing better. I don't really understand the misogyny in this one specific example of health care. ProstateUK is literally campaigning for men to get a screening programme. Men want the tests!

But It's about cost verus health outcomes across populations. The bods in the NHS weigh these up separately for cervical cancer, prostate cancer, bowel cancer, breast cancer etc

Screening programs cost money (staff, facilities, labs, publicity etc) Will they catch sufficient cancers at an earlier stage to make the cost worthwhile both in terms of good health outcomes and avoiding expensive treatment of later stage cancers? All the screening programmes will have a different rate of false positives. These will need further diagnosic tests or be treated unnecessarily. This has a financial cost and an emotional and physical health cost to the patient.
The incidence of different cancers, the average age at onset, how aggressive the progression of the different cancer types and the side effects from treatment all play a role in these decisions too. Cervical cancer for example is diagnosed on average in younger age groups than prostate cancer. Cervical cancer often progresses at a pace and is a cause of death. Prostate cancer may be aggressive, but a large subset of prostate cancers progress very slowly. A valid treatment option for men with prostate cancer is "watchful waiting". The cost of screening for these men is higher than doing nothing.

If your partner wants to be screened he can go to his GP with his family history and any relevant symptoms and ask for a digital examination (finger up the bum) and a PSA test (blood test) if he's under 45 they might say no to the PSA, but he could have it done privately. They shouldn't say no to the digital examination

You are of course free to make your own choice on your PAP. Home HPV swabs are being offered to replace routine PAPs so it great you've done this. But it makes very little sense to say you're not having yours because your partner can't have his. Or to refuse a medical screen because of a moral stance on misogyny in medicine

You say it is unfair to you as a woman that you are being offered screening for cervical cancer and your male partner is not being offered the same for prostate cancer.

Another way of looking at that is that the NHS are trying their best to make sure that women are getting screened to prevent them getting cancer.

You’ve obviously ever met anyone with CC. You’re decision is indeed ‘thick’ and no you shouldn’t be eligible for any treatment should you refuse the free preventative.

Jade Goody… just a thought

I certainly did - I bought my consultant a mining headlamp to make the process easier.

By the end of my cancer treatment it seemed like everyone and their mother had had their hands/head up my chuff.

I’ve never thought anyone was awful for not having a smear. Or for having a tattoo or being vegan or wearing high heels or any other choice.

I was however one of those who had a late smear due to a mix up at the surgery, it was only by chance speaking to someone else about their daughter due to have her first that I realised I hadn’t had one that would have been due around 10 months prior, got it scheduled and I had CIN3 stage HPV cells, no symptoms, definitely no pain or irregular bleeding. When I had the lletz treatment they showed me on camera & my cervix was covered in cells, I ended up with a punch biopsy too just to be sure everything was removed where it was vast & instead of the usual 2 weeks recovery it was 6 weeks, I couldn’t have a bath in that time or any kind of penetration. I’m not suggesting for a minute that this could happen to you or anyone. The main reason I would recommend one is that from years of lab experience, people are not always great at swabbing properly. If I hadn’t had that conversation with my friend & scheduled it, genuinely I think I might be dead or dying today & I don’t say that lightly. The doctor who performed the lletz drew me a line to explain what was going on before we started, just from reviewing the smear results, he was really good and took the time, he said 0 is normal, no cancer, 10 is cancer, and you would sit at 9 on this line.

No one is passing moral judgment, in terms of whether you’re a good or bad person, but it’s quite a stupid approach to take.

If men aren’t being offered and reminded about the equivalent examinations (no idea if that’s true or not), then I’d say that was unfair on men, not on women!

What do you think is unfair? The judgement you receive?

I dont think youre a bad person I just feel worried and sad for you. But it’s 100% your life. And you do what you need to do.

If she doesn't have HPV, THEY WON'T BE CHECKING ANYTHING..

I still believe in value of physical examination which can pick up any abnormalities (not limited to cervical cancer). But I was brought up in Europe where the standard was to see a gynecologist every six months for a regular check up. Much like you would see a dentist.

An ex colleague of mine who had genuinely never had sex (IMO she was frightened of the mere idea) had suffered a couple of very painful and traumatic smear tests (she would tense up very badly) before finally being told that in her particular circs., she didn’t need to have them any more.

Oh no I didnt mean you! I understand you cant have them.

"I won't have a smear test as it's invasive but I had a C Section".

Do you not think that having a child you should have a check which may potentially save your life and not leave your DS without a mother or is he now an adult child?

😂"I've had more hands up me than the fucking Muppets", as a friend of mine said in similar circumstances.

They are rolling them out but it takes time and a positive result would trigger an appointment for a smear. They are only now rolling out non-invasive prostate cancer screening (which your partner can request by the way), it is mostly still invasive.

Well @Seventeenstars I don't think you are selfish, stupid or uneducated.

If you think your personal risk is low, and you find the whole process unpleasant and invasive then you are perfectly within your rights to refuse the test.

Why does the gp keep inviting you? Because they get paid for every test they do.

Why does the NHS set the system up like this? Well, what you need to understand is that while you are considering your personal risk (and believing it to be vanishingly small), the NHS is thinking about statistics (as in, if we do 1 million tests then we will save approx 1400 lives).

However, as an adult with capacity you are entitled to make your own choices about what medical interventions you want, or don't want.

I have to admit I didn't know there were less invasive home tests available. And yes, I agree with you, it's odd (disappointing even) that they are not widely available.

Wow! Good for you. Here is a medal for being so brave

Yep. Typical of some Mumsnet posters they just love to jump on the band wagon and stick the boot in, totally ignoring relevant info. And someone actually said up thread that people who go for smear tests don't think they are superior!

They can’t get up there without splitting me open, so…… 🤷🏻‍♀️