{"id":8155,"date":"2026-01-01T11:59:25","date_gmt":"2026-01-01T00:59:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/nararavalleymedical.com.au\/staging-sept\/?p=8155"},"modified":"2026-05-05T11:10:42","modified_gmt":"2026-05-05T01:10:42","slug":"were-set-to-eliminate-cervical-cancer-in-australia-by-2035","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nararavalleymedical.com.au\/staging-sept\/2026\/01\/01\/were-set-to-eliminate-cervical-cancer-in-australia-by-2035\/","title":{"rendered":"We’re Set to Eliminate Cervical Cancer in Australia by 2035"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

But we still need you to test. Self-collect if you prefer.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

About cervical cancer in Australia<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Cervical cancer is one of the most preventable cancers \u2014 which is very good news for all of us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thanks to HPV vaccination and regular screening, Australia has more than halved cervical cancer rates since the early 1990s, according to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. In fact, we\u2019re on track to eliminate cervical cancer by 2035! <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

That\u2019s a big win \u2014 and it mostly comes down to people turning up for a test they\u2019d often rather avoid.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Under the National Cervical Screening Program, people with a cervix aged 25 to 74<\/strong> are invited to have a Cervical Screening Test every five years<\/strong>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

But 1 in 4 of us are overdue for our screening. Reports show that about 70 percent of cervical cancers are diagnosed in people who have never been screened<\/strong> or are not up to date with screening<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Think of screening as a quiet bit of future-proofing \u2014 a small appointment that can save a lot of stress later. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

Prevention: doing the heavy lifting early<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The HPV vaccine<\/strong> is our first line of defence. It\u2019s offered free to adolescents through school programs and protects against the HPV types that cause most cervical cancers, according to Cancer Council Australia<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Even if you\u2019ve been vaccinated (gold star \u2b50), screening still matters. The vaccine does a lot of the heavy lifting \u2014 but screening checks for what vaccination can\u2019t catch.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you or your child missed vaccination at school, your GP can discuss catch-up options.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

Screening: quicker than your coffee order<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The Cervical Screening Test looks for human papillomavirus (HPV)<\/strong> \u2014 the virus responsible for almost all cervical cancers. It\u2019s done every five years<\/strong>, not every year (yes, really).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

And here\u2019s the part many people don\u2019t realise:
you can now choose self-collection<\/strong> at your GP clinic.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

That means a simple swab you do yourself, in private, following clear instructions. It\u2019s supported by the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners<\/strong> and is just as accurate when done properly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If HPV is found, it doesn\u2019t mean cancer. Most of the time it simply means follow-up checks \u2014 and when changes are found early, treatment is usually straightforward.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Often, the whole thing is over before you\u2019ve decided what to have for lunch.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n
\n

Meet Leanne*<\/h3>\n\n\n
\n
\"woman<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Leanne is a 56-year-old office manager who loves organising dinner parties.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She is super busy, slightly tired, and mildly allergic to sloppy admin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When she received her screening reminder, she rolled her eyes. It was one thing she’d let slip. To get back on track, she booked an appointment. She chose the self-collection<\/em> option. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When she visited her GP at lunchtime, the nurse supplied her with the self-collection kit. She followed the instructions, took her sample, and ticked it off her list.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As a self-confessed ‘nerdy’ type, Leanne knew that any HPV picked up would lead to a colposcopy with a gynaecologist. She knew that the simple procedure only took about five minutes and wasn’t particularly uncomfortable or painful.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But in the end, it turned out not to be necessary. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

All done. She scrolled forward five years to January 8th 2030 in her calendar and placed a reminder for her next cervical self-collection test. It was so far away, it felt like it’d never happen. Good.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n

*Leanne is fictional. Everyone\u2019s experience is different \u2014 but it shows what screening is designed to do: find changes early, when they\u2019re easiest to deal with<\/strong>.<\/em> <\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

Small everyday things that help<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Screening and vaccination do the heavy lifting \u2014 but a few everyday habits help too:<\/p>\n\n\n\n