CASES of young Scotswomen showing early signs of potential cervical cancer have plummeted by 40 per cent since a school vaccination programme began, research shows.
The Aberdeen University team said the progress outstrips all expectations.
Estimates suggested it could take 20 years to reach this reduction in abnormal cervical screening tests.
Professor Maggie Cruickshank, of the university's School of Medicine and Medical Science and Nutrition, called the findings "great news for women".
The school jag programme was opened for youngsters aged 12 and 13 in 2008.
Scottish pupils were the first in the UK to begin vaccinations, with schools in Grampian, Lanarkshire, Tayside and the Western Isles initiating their programmes before others followed.
The Cervarix vaccine offered targets the human papilloma virus (HPV), which can lead to cervical cancer.
A catch-up programme for older girls aged up to 18 was also offered from 2008-2010 to increase the protected population.
Maker GlaxoSmithKline said the vaccination could prevent 70 per cent of cases developing, potentially saving around 70 lives in Scotland every year.
The Aberdeen research found the number of young women displaying early warning signs of cervical cancer have fallen by 41 per cent in fewer than ten years.
The study analysed the number of women in Scotland involved in the catch-up programme, aged 20 or 21 years old, who were referred for additional checks after abnormal cells were picked up during cervical screening.
Fewer 760 underwent the procedure in 2013-14, compared with 1,290 in 2008-09.
The group who had been offered the vaccine showed a significant reduction in not only colposcopy, but also medical interventions and treatment compared to those who had not been offered the vaccine.
Cruickshank said: "We thought it might take twenty years to see the benefits of HPV vaccination as it would take time to reduce levels of HPV infection – the virus that causes abnormal cells to develop. But this data shows that we’re already seeing a significant reduction in colposcopy and subsequent treatment for pre-cancer.
"This is great news for women as this means they can avoid the short term negative effects of colposcopy such as pain and bleeding, but also longer term, there are concerns that some women treated for pre-cancer changes can have an increased risk of pre-term labour.
"So we’re showing that the vaccination is not only protecting against cancer but also, the immediate risks of the colposcopy and longer term, hopefully the increased risk of pre-term labour."
At 90 per cent, Scotland has one of the highest uptakes of the jag in the world.
However, Professor Mary Ann Lumsden, Senior Vice President of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, said this is not enough.
She said: "Cervical cancer is the second most common cancer in women below the age of 35. Each day in the UK, nine women are diagnosed with cervical cancer – a largely preventable disease thanks to cervical screening and the HPV vaccination programme.
“We welcome these extremely encouraging results which reveal a reduction in the number of young women being referred for a colposcopy with early signs of potential cervical cancer.
"We encourage all girls aged 12 and 13 to take up the vaccine."
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here