Every year 3,000 new cases of Cervical cancer are screened in France and 1,100 women die from this cancer. To prevent it, there are two effective weapons: the vaccination, recommended from 11 years old, and smear screening for women, vaccinated or not, aged 25 to 65.
However, as soon as the gynecological follow-up is less regular, after menopause in particular, many women tend to no longer do smears, taking the risk of seeing pre-cancerous lesions developing into cancer, without having been detected.
This is why, on the occasion of the Prevention and Screening of Cervical Cancer Week, the National Cancer Institute (Inca) is launching an information campaign in order to “to re-mobilize women aged 45 to 65 who do not or do not perform smears frequently enough”.
Even after 45 years, the smear is not over
the cervico-uterine smear is recommended every three years after two normal smears one year apart to detect cancerous or precancerous lesions before they develop into cancer. However, as soon as the gynecological follow-up is less regular (in the absence of sexual intercourse or of contraception, for example), women tend to no longer do smears. “After 55 years, one in two women does not have a smear, compared to one in three women before this age. However, the evolution of lesions is slow, it is important to continue to do the smear until the age of 65” underlines the Inca.
Where to have a smear?
In France, nearly 9 out of 10 smears are performed by gynecologists. Yet many women do not turn to this specialist. If they do not perform the smear themselves, general practitioners can refer their patients with a medical prescription to another professional or structure performing this examination: health centers, analysis laboratories, health examination centers in the area. health check-up framework, planning centers.
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