Women have been urged by NHS officials to attend cervical screenings after figures showed a third of people under 50 do not take up their invitation.
Every year around 3,200 women in Britain are diagnosed with cervical cancer and 850 die from it. It is the fourteenth most common cancer in women in Britain, with women aged 30 to 34 most likely to be diagnosed.
The disease occurs when abnormal cells appear and grow in the lining of the cervix, eventually coming together as a tumor. If the cells are not caught early, the cancer can spread to other parts of the body.
Of the 11 million eligible women aged 25 to 49, 65.8% accepted the invitation and were screened on time as of December last year, which is lower than the 74.1% among women aged 50 to 64 year.
Last year, the head of NHS England, Amanda Pritchard, pledged to eradicate cervical cancer by 2040.
She said the combination of HPV vaccination and screening for the disease meant its elimination was a realistic ambition.
HPV refers to a group of viruses that can be transmitted through sexual contact and do not cause symptoms.
About 13 high-risk types of HPV are known to cause 99.7% of cervical cancer cases.
The HPV injection is given to boys and girls when they are 12 to 13 years old and is also offered to people at high risk for HPV.
Since last September, children in their eighth year have been receiving a single dose of the jab, instead of the two doses previously given.
The NHS is urging all women to have cervical screening, even if they have been vaccinated, because the jab does not protect against all types of HPV, so there is still a small chance of getting cervical cancer.
Steve Russell, Chief Delivery Officer and National Director for Vaccinations and Screening for NHS England, said: “We have set an ambitious target to eradicate cervical cancer within the next 20 years – one of the few countries in the world to have committed to this – and we are doing everything we can to realize our ambition by making appointments as easy as possible and by continuing to send invitations and reminders to all eligible women.
“But to achieve this we need to see more women coming forward for their cervical screening appointment when invited – even if you have previously missed your appointment, don’t wait for another invitation before contacting your GP practice – you can still book in now and this could save your life.”
Women are invited for screening by the NHS every three to five years depending on their age, or more often if HPV is detected.