[Role of high-risk human papillomavirus testing in the screening and management of cervical cancer precursors]

Abstract

Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection is an essential cause of cervical cancer. HPV testing therefore may maximize the clinical benefits of cervical screening and abnormal cervical cytology management. A negative HPV test in combination with a normal Pap test result in women age 30 years or older allows the safe extension of the cervical screening interval to 3 years. However, because HPV infection is common in young women and is usually transient, HPV testing is not recommended as part of primary cervical screening for women younger than 30 years. HPV testing is recommended for women of any age as a triage test with atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance (ASC-US) results and as an option for follow-up of women with HPV-positive ASC-US, atypical squamous cells "cannot rule out high-grade", low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions, or atypical granular cells not found to have CIN 2/3. HPV testing is also recommended as an alternative to colposcopy and/or cytology for follow-up of treated cases. Proper use of HPV testing improves the management of women with cytologic abnormalities.