2.2 million women safer thanks to a decade of Pap Test register  

23 August 2006 marks a critical milestone in cancer prevention for NSW women – the ten year anniversary of the NSW Pap Test Register – which has helped to dramatically reduce cervical cancer.

“Around 2.2 million NSW women have joined the NSW Pap Test Register in the last decade and more than six million test results have been recorded,” said NSW Government MP Kristina Keneally.

“We estimate that the lives of around 3,700 women have been saved in the last 30 years from Pap tests, which is recently due to the success of the register since it was established in 1996.

“Currently 60% of NSW women have two-yearly Pap tests. But we want to remind all women about this important issue, including older women because a fifth of all cervical cancer patients are aged 65 years and over.

“As part of the NSW Government’s on-going campaign, later this month we will start to mail more than 500,000 reminder letters to women who have not had a Pap test for four years or more (on top of the routine two-year reminder).

“Between 1994 and 2003, the NSW incidence of cervical cancer fell by 46% and death rates fell by around 52%.

“In 2003, 243 women were diagnosed with cervical cancer and 75 of those women died.”

Minister Assisting the Minister for Health (Cancer) Frank Sartor said the NSW Government was investing record funding in cancer prevention and treatment through the NSW Cancer Institute.

“Cancer still kills more than 12,000 NSW residents each year and the number of new cancer cases will reach 40,000 a year by the end of the decade,” Mr Sartor said.

“The 2006-07 State Budget contained a $39.5 million commitment to cancer screening programs, including better early detection of cervical and breast cancers,” Mr Sartor said.

“Cervical cancer is highly preventable if women see their local GP for screening every two years.”

KEY FACTS

• Cervical cancer is the 14th most common cancer in women.
• The major risk factor is infection with Human Papilloma Virus.
• Smoking markedly increases the risk of cervical cancer.
• Australia (including NSW) rates are well below the averages for the United Kingdom, Canada, the United States and New Zealand.
• Less than 2% of women choose not to join the Pap Test Register.
• The register has recoded more than 250,000 cervical biopsy test results.
• It has issued more than 2.5 million follow-up and reminder letters to women over the last ten years.
• Having a Pap test every two years can prevent the most common form of cervical cancer in up to 90% of cases.
• Even with the HPV vaccine, the current generation of women will still need regular Pap tests.