Monitoring abnormal cells ‘could increase cervical cancer risk in long term’

Opting to have check-ups to monitor abnormal cells on the cervix instead of having them immediately removed could lead to a higher long-term risk of developing cervical cancer, a study has suggested.

While Danish researchers stressed that the possibility of developing the disease remains low, their findings found a four-fold increase in risk among those having cells monitored over 20 years when compared with people who had them removed.

In , cervical screening is offered