International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics

The UK Department of Health has decided against lowering the age at which women can be tested for cervical cancer.

Campaigners had hoped to see the qualification age reduced from 25 to 20, but the independent Advisory Committee on Cervical Screening agreed unanimously for no change in the screening age.

It reported that earlier screening could do more harm than good, causing too many false positives and increasing the risk of premature births in some women.

Commenting on the decision, a spokesperson for Marie Stopes International expressed disappointment, saying the organisation feels it is important that women are allowed to have the treatment if they want to.

She added: "We actually feel that cervical screening at a young age is even more important now that there is a cervical cancer vaccination programme in place.

"The reason being is that the vaccines don't actually offer a full protection against cervical cancer or certain strains of the virus that can lead to it."

The spokesperson added that although cervical cancer is rare in women under the age of 25 years, it is still a risk to females in that category.

Research by Macmillan at the beginning of 2009 indicated that by the end of 2008 there will be two million people living with or beyond cancer in the UK, almost double the previous estimate of 1.2 million.