Women aged 25 to 64 are being targeted as part of Cervical Cancer Awareness Week, which runs until Saturday. NHS Sussex said around 20 per cent of women in this area did not take up their invitation for cervical screening last year. Viv Mussell, head of screening in West Sussex, said: “As always, regular screening is the most effective way of finding a problem early and preventing a cancer from developing. Cervical screening can prevent around 75 per cent of cancer cases in women who attend regularly. Many who develop it have never been screened. So you could say the biggest risk is actually not having the regular screening tests.” Cervical screening begins at age 25, with screening repeated every three years until the age of 49, and then every five years until the age of 64.