(Untitled)

[solodanceparty]

On the radio, I heard, since Jade Goody found out about having cancer, she's been trying to get pap smears for women under 25. But someone in the NHS said there is no need, because cancer that young is so rare. When I was living at home in the US, I started getting them when I turned 18. When I moved over 3 years ago, it was the first thing I asked

Comments

[bopeepsheep]

It's only true that it's 25 in England, not the rest of the UK, where it's still 20. Until 2003 it was 20 here too, but there were reported "negative effects" to screening so young, so it was raised. News article

[sheffieldcanuck]

I think it should be lowered. I have two friends who had cervical cancer before the age of 25. If girls are having sex, they can get the HPV virus, and that is linked to the development of cancer. We have paps as soon as you are sexually active in Canada.

[lareinadeluz]

I also have a friend who got cervical cancer before the age of 25. So scary!

[dativesingular]

See comment below, but same.

[fabfemmeboy]

Really sad that the US "solution" to that is to make Gardasil mandatory for all girls starting at age, like, 12.

[principia]

I don't think it's too young, although I will say that if you have a negative experience early on with your gynecological practitioner, and you're sufficiently put off by it, it may lead to ill-advised delays in seeking treatments later on.

I like my current doctor, but the doctor I was saddled with due to the insurance I was under when I was 18? Incredibly obnoxious, and took no care at all in terms of the use of the equipment, which meant the exam was also extremely painful.

I have to wonder if the prevalence of abnormalities in the under-25 set is attributable to the near-ubiquity of HPV.

[lolichan]

The age in the US, as far as I've been told, is 21 OR upon the start of sexual activity.

Can you get the HPV vaccine easily in the UK? You can in the US, but it's quite expensive

[emmala]

my experience in the U.S. is that it's based more on sexual activity--i think my MD said after a year of sexual activity.

[lolichan]

Yeah, exactly. That's what my gyn told me as well "21 years of age or after a year of sexual activity"

[arosoff]

There's a big campaign to immunize girls for HPV. Free on the NHS.

All these debates end up coming down to cost effectiveness--witness Michael Baum's attack on the breast cancer screening program because he says the needless treatment outweighs the lives saved.

[emmala]

me too but unfortunately HPV doesn't mean that you don't stop getting the hollowed out dildo treatment it just means you've also suffered through the most painful shot ever! (but having had my grandma die of cervical cancer i'm not complaining)

[musesong]

Jade Goody did not act on the letter advising her that she potentially had pre-cancerous cells until it was too late.

I didn't know that. In those kind of cases ignoring a letter is just so reckless.

[nineveh_uk]

Agreed - as with the breast cancer screening discussion, education and informed choice are as important as access.