Cervical cancer is the 12thmost common cancer among women in France. Despite the existence of effective screening, it is responsible for approximately 1,100 deaths per year.
There are two ways to prevent cervical cancer:
- Screening tests should be carried out every 3 years for women between 25 and 29 years old, after 2 normal tests carried out one year apart, then every 5 years between 30 and 65 years old;
- Vaccination against human papillomavirus (HPV) is recommended for boys and girls between 11 and 14 years old. It can also be offered as a catch-up vaccination up to and including age 19.
If all women aged 25 to 65 were regularly screened, 70% to 90% of cervical cancers could be prevented.
Cervical cancer screening makes it possible to identify 32,000 cancerous or precancerous lesions each year, and to treat them before they develop into cancer.
The smear test, combined with the HPV, remains the essential examination for screening for lesions of the cervix.
If an abnormality is detected, a colposcopy will be necessary. This involves a microscopic examination of the cervix, performed during a consultation. This examination allows for the diagnosis of precancerous lesions and helps determine the appropriate treatment.
In 2023, more than 1000 colposcopies were performed in the gynecology department of the Caen Normandy University Hospital.
