The risk of cervical cancer increases with age, so it is important for women to continue having regular Cervical Screening Tests until they are in their 70s, even if they are no longer sexually active or have experienced menopause.
About half of all cases of cervical cancer occur in women older than 50 years, yet many women over this age think they are not at risk.
Research by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) shows that:
- older women are still at risk of cervical cancer
- women over 50 are far more likely than younger women to die from cervical cancer
- from 2012-2014, 74% of cervical cancer deaths were in women aged over 50 years.