To not know they did this at a smear test

[ILoveBray]

Came back from mine today, and they are now adding in HPV screening. Not sure when this was added, but I'm pretty sure I didn't have it 3 years ago.

Think this is such a good idea, as if you have HPV you have a higher chance of getting cervical cancer.

Not really an AIBU, more a reminder to book in for your screening if it's been more than 3 years

This post was edited by MNHQ at OP's request

Maybe the nurse said higher rather than high.
It is just a higher risk than those without HPV.

HPV screening was long overdue here, and primary screening is far more accurate.

Please ask to change the wording in your post. Not only is it incorrect, it will be an awful trigger for many.

At my last smear the nurse reminded me to check my breasts for cancer signs and explained how to do it. I thought that was a great idea.

I had mine late last year, and they said they were starting this soon. So pleased they have!

I had a smear test 5 years ago and was screened for HPV automatically - east midlands

I had this done years ago. 5 or 6 years ago. Came back negative.

"It is just a higher risk than those without HPV."

It's not so much 'with HPV' and 'without HPV' as 'having cleared HPV' and 'not having cleared HPV'. If someone is diagnosed as 'not having HPV' it doesn't mean they've never had HPV, just that they have successfully cleared the infection. The difference is subtle but important, because HPV is really, really common and easy to catch, and it's important that those who have it don't feel in any way stigmatised. Most women will have had it!

For some reason, some immune systems aren't able to throw off HPV infection. It stays there, and starts to cause cellular changes.

Emilydickensonsdogs will do.

I think they should gain consent.

How many Women are being tested who aren't sexually active. How much is it costing?

Melroses Yes possibly. English is my second language and I think may have been the nurses too. Communication error I am asking for it to be changed.

@downcasteyes
"Basically, to get cervical cancer you have to have had HPV"

This is not true. Although for over 95% of cervical cancer HPV is present, not all cervical cancer is linked to HPV.

Just because you don't have HPV doesn't mean there is no risk of cervical cancer!!

Birds - I'm confused as to what your point is. Women are only tested if they give informed consent. They are not forced to do it.

"How many Women are being tested who aren't sexually active."

HPV infection can be transmitted by non-penetrative sex and can persist for a large number of years and then suddenly flare. Just because you're not shagging at the moment doesn't necessarily mean you don't need to worry about a smear test.

BooRadley - Yes, you are right about non-HPV related adenocarinomas, though I believe that the 5% figure is now out of date. It's a really, really small proportion of cases, hence the fact that HPV can be used for primary screening.

The thing that needs to be stressed as loudly as possible is that anyone with any of the symptoms of cervical cancer, including bleeding between periods, should go to their GP and ask for a SYMPTOMATIC test. This is a different process from the population-based screening test.

(I think the figure is now over 99% not 95%).

@downcasteyes

Apologies if my figures were out of date. I have had to have multiple treatments for major cells changes over the years and each time the test for HPV was negative. It is concerning that if the HPV primary screening was used then these changes would not have been found.

@Birdsgottafly you can still have dormant HPV even when not sexually active. A lowered immune system can cause a resurfacing. Just like with Herpes.

downcasteyes posters are saying that they were automatically screened for HPV.

I'm not sexually active because I lost my sex drive after the Menopause. I know many Women in the same situation, as well as other reasons.

The NHS was looking to replace smears with HPV testing.

If that works in other Countries with a much better rate of Cancer diagnosis and treatment, then fair enough.

But we aren't getting female cancer right.

So if they're just checking for HPV rather than abnormal cells, does that means it's now pointless to have a smear for people who are sexually inactive or aren't sleeping with new partners as there's little chance of being infected?

I'm in Liverpool. After the last smear I had a couple of years ago I got a letter saying as I had tested HPV negative they would not go on to test the sample. I presume because the risk of cervical cancer is minute if you don't have HPV

Fiveredbricks, I haven't been sexually active for six years, but will need smears for another 13 years at least. It doesn't lie dormant for that long.

There's people who are happily celibate, or not happily but circumstances/religion etc dictates that they are.

If almost every sexually active person gets HPV at somepoint, how can they unpick that as a definite cause of cervical cancer? Even if every case of cervical cancer was associated with HPV, most people without cervical cancer would also be associated with HPV. How do they know it's a cause?

My last 2 tests have shown hpv+ but no abnormal cells so no further action. I'm dreading my next one in June in case there's any cell changes.
Has anyone else had this and been OK?
Need some good news to stop me worrying!

They are testing both the cells and for HPV for me. Not one or the other. I'm surprised there's so much variation depending on where you live.

I had this in Essex last year. Tested negative for HPV so no further test. This does worry me as I had CIN11 or whatever it’s called aged 21 removed by LETz but have had clear tests regularly since then.

downcasteyes thank you for that information as my last smear results came back in December with low grade abnormal cells and I tested positive for HPV, which I was devastated about and have felt so “dirty”, so thank you for clearing up some stuff.
I had a colposcopy 5 weeks ago and they did a biopsy. Haven’t had the results yet.