HC Deb 20 April 1998 vol 310 cc505-6W
Mr. Flynn

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many and what proportion of all tests for cervical cancers were false positives in the last year for which information is available; and how many unnecessary remedial procedures have been carried out in each of the past 10 years. [38739]

Mr. Boateng

Cervical screening is not a test for cervical cancer itself. Cervical screening can prevent cancer of the cervix by finding abnormal cells before they become cancerous, enabling treatment to be given to prevent cancer developing. Not all abnormal cells will become cancerous, but it is not possible to tell in advance how many women with abnormal changes to the cervix will go on to develop cancer if left untreated. Around 100,000 women are referred to colposcopy clinics each year for further assessment and/or treatment.

Mr. Flynn

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many deaths and what proportion of all deaths of women aged over 40 years were from cervical cancer in each year since 1975; and what assessment he has made of the measurable effect of screening on the death rate. [38764]

Mr. Boateng

The number and proportion of deaths in women aged over 40 years from cervical cancer have fallen dramatically since 1975. In particular, the number of deaths from cervical cancer has fallen by a third since the National Health Service cervical screening programme was set up in 1988, as the table shows:

Year Cervical cancer deaths of women aged over 40 Cervical cancer as percentage of all deaths to women aged over 40
1975 2,008 0.72
1976 2,076 0.72
1977 1,998 0.72

Year Cervical cancer deaths of women aged over 40 Cervical Cancer as percentage of all deaths to women aged over 40
1978 1,978 0.70
1979 1,919 0.67
1980 1,872 0.67
1981 1,810 0.65
1982 1,733 0.61
1983 1,743 0.62
1984 1,690 0.61
1985 1,709 0.59
1986 1,747 0.61
1987 1,644 0.59
1988 1,712 0.61
1989 1,579 0.55
1990 1,554 0.55
1991 1,457 0.51
1992 1,487 0.52
1993 1,319 0.45
1994 1,217 0.44
1995 1,158 0.40
1996 1,156 0.41

Cervical screening is estimated to prevent between 1,100 and 3,900 cases of invasive cervical cancer each year (Imperial Cancer Research Fund), and the death rate from cervical cancer is currently falling by seven per cent. each year.