New study says self-test could prevent up to 1,000 cervical cancer cases a year

About a third of women are overdue for their appointment for life-saving cervical cancer screening – due to embarrassment, discomfort or simply not having enough time to attend.

But offering women an at-home self-test could prevent as many as 1,000 cases of cervical cancer every year, a study led by Queen Mary University of London with King’s College London found.

More than 3,000 women are diagnosed with cervical cancer each year in the UK. It has been estimated that the number would be 5,000 higher if it weren’t for cervical screening.

The number of women participating in cervical screening has been falling, and in 2024, only 66% of those eligible for screening were up to date.

In the study, published in the journal EClinicalMedicine, researchers recruited 13 GP practices in West London to find out the benefits of offering women a take-home test.

One group of GP practices made in-person kit offers to women who were at least six months overdue for their cervical screening, the other group did not. For the first group, when women attended their GP practice for any reason, their doctor or nurse was encouraged to offer them a self-sampling kit.

In the study, people who were 15 months overdue for cervical screening were randomised each month. Half received no special communication, a quarter were mailed a self-sampling kit, and a quarter were sent a letter offering a kit.

Of the 449 women opportunistically offered a kit in a GP appointment, 234 (52%) accepted and returned a sample.

However, the uptake of self-sampling after a postal offer was lower: 12% among those sent a kit, and just 5% for women sent a letter offering a kit.

Researchers estimate that if this approach were adopted across the NHS, 1,000 cases of cervical cancer could be prevented.

dings are directly relevant to current efforts to modernise cervical screening in England. Self-sampling gives women greater control over how and when they get screened.

“This study reinforces that many women welcome the option - particularly when it’s offered in person by a trusted healthcare professional. A simple change like this could have a major impact on preventing cervical cancer.”

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Source: The Guardian, 29 July 2025

Further reading on the hub:

• Top picks: 9 resources about improving access to cervical screening