Women in deprived areas of England have a higher chance of developing and dying from cervical cancer than those in higher-income regions, the Trent Cancer Registry has revealed.
Cervical cancer has decreased by a third over the last two decades and deaths from the disease have more than halved, according to the study produced on behalf of National Cancer Intelligence Network in collaboration with the NHS Cervical Screening Programme.
Incidence of cervical cancer was lowest in the south and east of England and highest in the north and the Midlands.
There was a spike in incidence of the illness between 2008 and 2009, which researchers attributed to women seeking screening after the death of TV star Jade Goody. In 2009, 3,378 women were diagnosed with cervical cancer, and in 2010 there were 936 related deaths.
But there has been a rise in cervical cancer deaths of women aged 25-29, accompanied by a dropping-off in screening uptake rates within the age group.
The report draws attention to behavioural factors associated with deprivation, such as smoking and poorer uptake of cervical screening.