Screening
The vaccine does not protect against all strains of Human papillomavirus (HPV) that cause cancer.
That’s why it’s still important for women to keep up to date with regular cervical smear tests, which detect changes which could eventually develop into cervical cancer. These changes can be easily and successfully treated. Cervical Screening Wales (CSW) invites women from the age of 20 years for a screening test (smear test) every 3 years to look for these changes.
A smear test involves taking a small sample of cells from the cervix with a tiny brush. Cervical screening saves over 1000 lives in the UK each year. However about 1500 women still die annually from cervical cancer in the UK.
You can get more information about screening from the Cervical Screening Wales website (external link).