To consider opting out of cervical screening?

[justcurious40]

I am very fortunate to have just received normal results for my latest smear test.

However, the weeks I spent waiting for the results were hard as I suffer badly from health anxiety.

I am nearly 42 and have been having smears since the age of 19, so I now have 24 years of smear tests behind me without ever having an abnormal result.

It is my understanding that something like 98% of cervical cancers are caused by hpv, which is sexually transmitted. As I have been with my husband since 1999 and am 100% sure he is faithful, would it be unreasonable to opt out of the screening after so many clear tests with no hpv detected?

I think some Scandinavian countries and the Netherlands use hpy screening as their primary test and only offer smears to women who are positive. So I am thinking of having a private hpv test and, if that is negative, opting out of the screening.

Before anyone says it, I know that cancer and cancer treatment would be a damn sight more horrific than having the screening and being anxious waiting for results. I'm just questioning the need for screening under these circumstances. Thanks for reading.

It seems pretty dumb to increase your risk of actually dying from a health problem in order to avoid addressing the irrational feelings you have about waiting for the results of a test which would save you if you had that health problem

It might but OP is not doing that, at all. She is decreasing her risk.

Not a lot to gain by not being tested, but a whole lot to lose if you don't.

OP in my 60's I am no longer entitled for smear testing , however as it is an illness that presents no symptons I am prepared to pay to have private testing.

Are you prepared for the possible consequences for your nearest and dearest, to deal with your foolishness.
Surely you are going to cause yourself far more anxiety wondering if there could possibly be something wrong but how will you know without testing?
Sorry OP utter madness!

Some very badly informed posts here! Why all the hysteria? Getting tested for a virus you have no risk of catching won't alter your risk of having cancer from another cause

Chienrouge - or the NHS figure I found is referring to types of cancer rather than incidence of cancer. I have no idea. That or you were very unlucky (or perhaps lucky that it was picked up in the smear - I hope you are well now). I'm very surprised that the rate is that high. Personally though I would (and do) trust that the NHS will screen appropriately and just have the screening done. It's not that bad and it's only every 3 or 5 years.

How is HPV testing done?

Please reconsider opting out OP, cervical screening and mammograms are important, and although slightly uncomfortable, very worthwhile having.
Echoing the poster above, I too, would be prepared to pay for either tests if necessary.

PinkSparklyPussyCat: There are lots of ways it can be done privately - but when the NHS start doing it they will still take cells from the cervix and test these for HPV via a molecular test. I believe they are already doing this routinely in about 5 areas in England as part of a pilot. It will be rolled out across the whole of the UK in the next couple of years.

I too have been with my husband since 1999 and have attended regular clear cervical screenings since first invited to do so. Last year I had HPV detected for the first time. Nurse said it has nothing to do with cheating partner it’s just that it has lay dormant for many years.

Also I should add that a very small proportion of cervical cancers are not associated with HPV infection. These will not be picked up by the screening programme when we move to HPV primary screening. If the OP lived in one of the pilot areas of England then she would already be only getting an HPV test as her screen and if this was negative nobody would look at her smear under a microscope so the abnormal cells would be missed.

Please don't opt out OP. My mother never had a smear test and almost died of cervical cancer.

No not unreasonable. I've had one smear and that was sixteen years ago. I consider myself to be in a very low risk category and so I opted out. My doctor supported my decision.

We had an interesting chat about this in feminism chat a few weeks ago. There are negatives to routine screening and women should be able to make an informed choice to opt in or out.

Women failing to attend smear testswww.mumsnet.com/Talk/womens_rights/3146848-Women-failing-to-attend-smear-tests

The most sensible thing imo would be to screen us all for job and vaccinate. We can eliminate the virus in a generation.

I have opted out for similar reasons. I'd be happy to take part in screening if a blood test for HPV was offered.

throwcushions thank you, I am fine now (still have 6 monthly smears due to my history but hopefully moving to annual now).
The HPV screening only programme worries me slightly as mine wouldn’t have been picked up in that case.

Timbuktu- not if we don’t vaccinate men too! I am a strong proponent of universal vaccination.

I've had a hysterectomy and my cervix was removed, so I no longer require smear tests. While my GP is aware and I don't get any reminders from them about them, I still get reminders from NHS England, and I can't seem to opt out from them!

I am really worried after reading this thread. Last year my smear showed an abnormal results, the letter said that as I had tested negative for HPV so I did not need to do anything. I wonder if I could insist on a repeat test as it seems that people are being diagnosed with cancer and negative for HPV

Vaccination would be a good idea. Last time I looked, Boots only did it up to age 45, with no explanation of why they cut off there.

Spidey - your GP should take you off the recall list.

www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/436770/cs4.pdf Pages 6 - 8

Tunic in the vast majority of cases abnormal cells with no HPV will entirely resolve themselves.

However, the weeks I spent waiting for the results were hard as I suffer badly from health anxiety.

Can you not get some help for your anxiety, OP?

The test isn't going to change whether you do or don't have cancer so if you're anxious about your health, I would have thought the test would be a good way to put your mind at rest.

I have friends and family who've either avoided cancer screenings/tests for various reasons and have had their cancer detected too late, and others who randomly had cancer diagnosed when having routine screening without any symptoms. So my personal opinion is that I'll take all the screening I can get, but it's up to you what you do.

Also I should add that a very small proportion of cervical cancers are not associated with HPV infection. These will not be picked up by the screening programme when we move to HPV primary screening. If the OP lived in one of the pilot areas of England then she would already be only getting an HPV test as her screen and if this was negative nobody would look at her smear under a microscope so the abnormal cells would be missed.

I've just had a radical hysterectomy age 41. I've never missed a smear but my last one came back abnormal. The cancer I had wasn't caused by hpv. I'd had no symptoms so it has saved my life and I'm now cancer free

I'm now feeling quite worried about this. Can't they test for both? It sounds like cases of cancer will be missed

I am going to go back to the gp, I also have intermittent bleeding but have put this down to the implant.