A Brief Summary of the Current Role of Human Papillomavirus Testing in Cervical Cancer Screening

Abstract

Cervical cancer screening recommendations proposed by natural societies and organizations have been reviewed and revised numerous times over the last decade. The most recent guidelines from the American Cancer Society and U.S. Preventive Services Task Force added human papillomavirus (HPV) primary screening for women starting at age 25 or 30 years, respectively, and ending at age 65 for those with an adequate history of negative screening. Cervical cancer screening for HPV has significantly reduced the incidence of cervical cancer. Currently, the majority of cervical cancers are reported among women who have never been screened or who were under-screened. Many organizations and institutions have explored different strategies to improve screening participation among the difficult-to-reach populations, including community outreach and specimen self-collection for HPV testing.