Smear tests could be cut to three in a lifetime: Women could soon be spared regular ordeal of a check due to more sensitive tests being rolled out

Women may soon be spared the ordeal of having to go so often for smear tests.

At the moment women in England are invited for cervical cancer screening 12 times between the ages of 25 and 64.

The frequency of the tests is thought to be contributing to falling uptake, with figures published earlier this week revealing a third of women neglect to take part in the screening programme.

A new study published today suggests women might only need to be tested seven times in total, because new tests being rolled out across the NHS are more sensitive.

And in future, women who have received the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine at school might only need to be screened three times in their life.

Experts on the UK National Screening Committee are currently reviewing the frequency at which women have to undergo the tests for cervical cancer.

At the moment women aged between 25 and 49 are invited for screening every three years, and when they are aged 50 to 64, every five years.

But the new study, by Queen Mary University of London and Cancer Research UK, suggests they could safely be tested less frequently thanks to new technology.

The paper, published in the International Journal of Cancer, said reducing the frequency of smear tests is made safer by the rollout of a new way of testing for HPV – the virus which causes 95 per cent of cases of cervical cancer – which means doctors can be more confident women are at low risk.

At the moment a smear test involves testing for abnormalities in the cells on the cervix. But the test is being changed to test first for the HPV virus, and then following up if the virus is present.

It is currently being rolled out across the NHS, and by December 2019 all women in England will be able to get it. The researchers calculated the more sensitive test would mean women could safely be tested just seven times – probably once every five years.

They also calculated the impact of the HPV vaccination programme, which has since 2008, has been offered to schoolgirls aged 11 to 13.

The eldest of those girls are now in their early 20s, close to the age for their first cervical screening invitation.

The new research shows these women can be effectively protected from cervical cancer with just three lifetime screens – at the ages of 30, 40 and 55.

Professor Peter Sasieni, lead author based at QMUL, said: ‘The NHS should benefit from the investment that it’s made by introducing the vaccination programme.

‘These women are far less likely to develop cervical cancer so they don’t need such stringent routine checking as those at a higher risk.

‘This decision would free up resources for where they are needed most. The change in the screening system is a unique opportunity to reassess how often women are invited for cervical screens during their lifetimes.’

Dr Julie Sharp, head of health information at Cancer Research UK added: ‘This is great news for women.

‘The cervical screening programme is already very successful, and has led to a dramatic fall in deaths from the disease since its introduction.’

Public Health England last night confirmed they were reviewing the frequency of the cervical cancer screening programme – and said they would take into account the new findings along with other similar peer-reviewed research.

Professor Anne Mackie, director of screening for Public Health England, said: ‘The HPV vaccine is the most effective way for young girls to protect themselves against cervical cancer, the most common cancer in women under 35.

‘Around 3,000 cases are diagnosed every year in the UK and tragically it causes 900 deaths, almost all in older women who did not benefit from the HPV vaccination programme.

‘Testing for HPV first will be rolled out into the English cervical screening programme over the next two years and we are working with NHS colleagues to ensure an effective implementation.’

The death of reality TV star Jade Goody with cervical cancer in 2009 triggered a spike in the number of women attending screening – but that effect has faltered in recent years.

Uptake of the cervical screening programme is now at its lowest level for 20 years, with more than 1.2million women aged 25 to 64 failing to turn up in 2016/17.

Just 72 per cent of invited women were tested last year, down from 75.7 per cent in 2011.

Robert Music, chief executive at Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust, added: ‘HPV primary testing has been shown to be a much more effective screening test and it is positive to see that it could lead to reductions in the number of screens women need to attend in their lifetime, especially in those who have been vaccinated.

‘However, we must continue to focus on increasing uptake of the vaccination and screening programmes to ensure more women are able to benefit from these advances.

‘Screening attendance is falling across the UK and in England is now at 20-year low.’