Cancer fears of young mother refused smear test

A West mum is campaigning for a change in the law after being told she was too young to have a cervical smear test.

Amy Cullum fears she may have cervical cancer but when she went to see her doctor to book a smear test, the 24-year-old was horrified to be told she couldn't have one until she was 25.

Miss Cullum, whose own mum had a hysterectomy at the age of 26 after battling cervical cancer, pleaded with the surgery to give her the test, but they stood firm. Staff told her that even if they carried out the test the laboratory which analysed the swab would not look at her sample because she was underage.

Worried sick about her symptoms, Miss Cullum called the family planning clinic hoping they might help, only to be refused a test through them as well.

Previously, women over the age of 20 were offered routine smear tests, but in 2004 the age was raised to 25.

Now the mother-of-two, from Yatton in North Somerset, is calling for a change in the law to help worried young women achieve peace of mind.

She said: "I recently saw the news about Jade Goody having cervical cancer, and while watching TV one morning there was a lady on the show describing her symptoms of the cancer. It made me stop because I have a couple of the symptoms that they were talking about. I thought the best thing to do was to ring up and make an appointment for a smear test."

Miss Cullum, who doesn't turn 25 until next June, says she was told point blank that she could not have the smear test but after several more phone calls was advised they could take a look at her womb to see if it "looked healthy".

A spokesman for the Yatton Family Surgery confirmed they would not give smear tests to women under 25 and said that even if they did the lab would refuse to test them.

A Department of Health spokesman said cervical cancer was extremely rare in under 25s while changes in the cervix were common – which could lead to misdiagnosis and more unnecessary tests.

Earlier this year, Londoner Katie Hillard revealed she too was refused a smear test. Now, the young woman has been diagnosed with cervical cancer and, despite undergoing a hysterectomy, has been given just months to live. She says a smear test could have saved her life. Miss Cullum said: "I don't particularly want a smear. Who does? But it's on my mind constantly and I'm worried sick about it. And it looks like I am going to have to wait until I turn 25 until I get peace of mind.

"I cannot believe that what with me having symptoms, which I do realise could be something else, a history of cancer in the family and the fact I have had two children that they will not test me."

The Department of Health spokesman said: "Any women under 25 who are concerned about cervical cancer or their sexual health should contact their GP or Genito-Urinary Medicine (GUM) clinic, who will refer women under 25 who have symptoms of cervical cancer for other, more appropriate, tests."

Professor Stephen Duffy, Cancer Research UK's professor of cancer screening, said: "If a woman has symptoms of cervical cancer this is no longer a screening issue. Her doctor should address those symptoms appropriately, whatever her age, to decide how best to diagnose and treat her."

To sign the petition to see the age for cervical smears reduced to 16, please visit petitions.number10.gov.uk/smeartests/