We know that this is a difficult time for you and naturally you will be concerned about your treatment and future health. However, you may also be wondering why you have developed cervical cancer, especially if you have had screening tests (often known as smear tests) in the past.
Cervical screening reduces the risk of developing cervical cancer. Regular screening is the best way to detect changes to the cervix early on, but like other screening tests it is not perfect.
The cervical screening process involves many different steps which aim to identify and treat abnormal cells on the cervix to prevent cervical cancer. It may be that all steps have been followed efficiently and that a cervical cancer has developed despite the screening programme working properly. Or, it could be that at one or more of these steps, something may not have worked as well as it should. Reviewing your previous tests will help identify if anything should have been done differently.
Reviews are an essential part of every high-quality screening programme and are a routine part of the cervical screening process. Information we gather from individual cases helps to improve the programme and also helps us to learn more about how cancers develop and how they are diagnosed.
When we review your cervical screening history, we will check all records of any previous medical investigations related to cervical screening and we will review your previous tests.
Please fill in the attached form, stating whether you would like to know the result of the review of your previous tests and other relevant medical investigations. You can either hand it over to a member of the treating team or return it to the address shown on the form.
If you want to know the results we will contact you when they are available and arrange a convenient time for you to come and discuss the results with your doctor.
What does the review involve?
We review all records connected to cervical screening tests and any previous medical investigations related to cervical screening. A group of professionals then look again at your previous tests, your medical notes related to cervical screening, and also examine whether your screening history meets national guidelines.
What will the review show?
In most cases, the review will show that the correct procedures have been followed and that you received appropriate care.
Occasionally, the review may find that one or more steps in the process have not worked as well as they should and may highlight where we could make improvements.
What happens if I want to know the results of the review?
If you want to know the results of the review, fill in the form and return it to the address on the form. Your doctor will let you know when the outcome is available. They can then arrange to discuss the results with you.
What if I don't want to know the results of the review now but change by mind later?
We understand this is a difficult time and you may not want to receive the results of the review now. If you decide that you do want to know the results in the future, please contact your hospital doctor, who will arrange a date to discuss the review with you.
What if I don't want to know the results of the review?
It is completely up to you to decide whether or not you want to know the results of the review. It will not make any difference to your care.
Can my family ask for the results if I don't want to know?
No, unless you give permission, we cannot give your relatives access to any details of your medical records.
Could my cancer have been found earlier?
In many cases the cancer will have been detected at the earliest possible stage. Although cervical screening prevents a high percentage of cervical cancers (about 75%), it cannot prevent all of them. The review process aims to highlight any possible area of weakness so we can make improvements for everyone. Some examples are given below.
Screening cannot always identify abnormal cells on a cervical-sample slide because:
- sometimes the cells do not look much different from normal cells
- there may be very few abnormal cells on the slide
- the person reading the slide may miss the abnormality (this happens occasionally, no matter how experienced the reader is)
Colposcopy (a visual examination of the cervix) cannot always identify abnormal areas of the cervix because:
- the abnormal area might not be visible during the examination
- the abnormal area might not be taken as a sample in a biopsy
- the abnormal cells might be hidden higher up inside the cervix
- some types of abnormality are simply not easy to identify at a colposcopy
What happens to the information collected for my review?
We collect screening information as part of an ongoing process. Your information (without your name) goes towards improving the systems of the programme, and to help• discover more about how cancers develop and how they are diagnosed and treated. This is done whether or not you want to know the results of the review.
Why should women bother to go for cervical screening if abnormalities can be missed?
Alongside HPV vaccination (aimed at preventing the HPV viral infection), cervical screening reduces the risk of developing cervical cancer. The cervical screening programme is estimated to save 4500 lives a year nationally and regular screening is the best way to detect early changes to the cervix.
Colposcopy dept
Tel: 020 3447 9411
General enquiries: ucl-tr.
UCLH switch board: 0845 155 5000 or 020 3456 7890
NHS: 111 (24 hours)
UCLH Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS)
Tel: 0203 447 3042 (voicemail service)
Email: uclh.
All NHS staff have a legal duty to keep information about you confidential. This means that your personal information must be used fairly and lawfully.
You have a right to access the information held about you.
UCLH is a data controller in respect of your personal information. If you have any questions about the ways in which we may process your personal information, please contact the Data Protection Officer at: UCLH.
Or
Data Protection Officer
1st Floor
Maple House
Tottenham Court Road
London
W1T 7NF
Services
Page last updated: 04 March 2026
Review due: 02 February 2028