There are limitations to all screening programmes but the benefits of engaging in a screening programme far outweigh the risk of not doing so.
The main limitations of cervical screening are:
- it will not prevent all cases of cervical cancer
- some people will still develop cervical cancer despite regular screening
- some abnormal cell changes may be missed
- it will not find every abnormal cell change
- you can test negative for types of HPV and still develop cervical cancer
Inaccurate results
Sometimes test results are inaccurate. These results are called false positives and false negatives.
If a false positive result occurs, you may be sent for further tests that you do not need.
If a false negative occurs you may be told you do not need further tests or treatment when there is actually a risk of cancer at the time.
False positives and false negatives are unavoidable. They happen in every screening programme even with the best infrastructure in place. These types of results may cause unnecessary worry or have health implications for some people. But the benefits of cervical screening outweigh these limitations for most people.
