The BC Cancer Agency, with support from the BC Centre for Disease Control, launched a new, provocative ad campaign today to encourage young women in their 20’s to get regular Pap tests.

The ads feature a line-drawn graphic of a woman’s body with a message strategically placed in the area where cervical cancer occurs. The straight-forward message is, “A clinical exam here may feel awkward. But imagine how awkward it would be getting cervical cancer.”

The new campaign builds on the success of an ad campaign that ran last February targeting young women aged 20-29 – a group whose participation in cervical cancer screening has declined over the past several years.

In the three months following the 2007 ad campaign, twice as many women in their 20s had their first Pap test compared to the same timeframe in 2006.

“We’re pleased with the success of last year’s campaign, but we still have a long way to go,” says Dr. Dirk van Niekerk, Medical Leader for the BC Cancer Agency’s Cervical Cancer Screening Program (CCSP). “Many women in this age group are still not having this life-saving test. The participation rate for this age group is 10 percent lower than the overall provincial rate of 73 percent.”

“With new eye-catching and thought-provoking ads, we want to remind young women that a Pap test is the best way to detect changes in the cervix early, before they become cancerous and when they are easily treated,” adds Dr. van Niekerk.

The ad campaign, running from January 28 to February 24, includes:

• Washroom ads displayed in places frequented by this target group: restaurants, bars, nightclubs, health and fitness centres, post-secondary campuses, and retail change rooms across Vancouver, Victoria, and Kelowna
• Web banner ads
• Radio ads in Vancouver, Victoria, Prince George, Kelowna and Kamloops

"Cervical cancer is a preventable disease," says Dr. Gina Ogilvie, Associate Director of the BC Centre for Disease Control’s HIV/STI division. “Women need to realize that regardless of age, regular cervical screenings provide the best protection against cervical cancer. Pap tests are an important opportunity for women to keep themselves healthy.”

Seven out of 10 cervical cancers can be prevented with regular Pap tests. Through early detection with regular cervical screening, if cancer is found, it is usually at a stage when treatment can be successful. In 2006, 2,128 women under age 30 were found to have moderate or more severe cell changes on their Pap tests. An estimated 144 women in B.C were diagnosed with cervical cancer in 2007.

Established in 1949, the BC Cancer Agency’s Cervical Cancer Screening Program was the first organized population-based program in the world to screen for cervical cancer. Over time, the CCSP has succeeded in reducing incidence rates from cervical cancer by over 70 percent.

The BC Cancer Agency, an agency of the Provincial Health Services Authority, is committed to reducing the incidence of cancer, reducing the mortality from cancer, and improving the quality of life of those living with cancer. It provides a comprehensive cancer control program for the people of British Columbia by working with community partners to deliver a range of oncology services, including prevention, early detection, diagnosis and treatment, research, education, supportive care, rehabilitation and palliative care. The BC Cancer Foundation raises funds to support research and enhancements to patient care at the BC Cancer Agency.

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For more information, or to schedule an interview, please contact:

Jinny Wu
Communications Specialist
BC Cancer Agency
Tel: 604.877.6272
Pgr: 604.806.2338
Toll-free: 1.800.663.3333, ex 6272
jwu2@bccancer.bc.ca