Fear of contracting COVID-19, lockdown restrictions and financial pressure. These are the three main reasons, according to a recent survey, why women have skipped their annual cancer screenings over the last 18 months. Infact, only 22% of women surveyed by 1st for Women had their yearly pap smear and just 14% had a mammogram.
When do you start going for annual cancer screening?
It’s recommended to start going for regular pap smears from the age of 21, even if you are not yet sexually active. If your results are normal, you only need to go for a screening every 3 years. All women over 40, regardless of symptoms or family history should go for annual mammograms.
Why are annual screenings so important?
The answer is simple: it saves lives. Early-stage breast cancer has a five-year survival rate of 99%, according to The American Cancer Society. Later-stage cancer has a survival rate of 27%. More than 75% of women who have breast cancer have no family history of cancer.
How can pap smears or mammograms help detect cancer early?
The point of screening tests is to help identify signs of developing cancer before you have any symptoms. Your gynaecologist may identify pre-cancerous cells during a pap smear or a mammogram might show slight changes in the breast compared to last year. These subtle changes may be the first sign of cancer developing and allows doctors to catch it early and stop it with more effective, less aggressive treatment options.
