Is it more effective than previously thought at saving lives?
New research published today in the Lancet will say that cervical smear testing is preventing an epidemic.
15 years ago, the UK was heading for a devastating outbreak of cervical cancer which had the potential to kill around 100,000 women born between 1951 and 1970. Since then, every woman between the ages of 25 and 64 has been invited to have an NHS cervical smear test every three to five years.
Martha talks to Professor Julian Peto, author of the research who says that screening programmes save up to 5,000 lives a year, and also Julietta Patnick, director of the NHS Cancer Screening programme.
