A Suggested Approach to Simplify and Improve Cervical Screening in the United States

Cervical cancer prevention strategies in the United States have become complicated and even controversial, despite advanced understanding of carcinogenic human papillomavirus (HPV) infection as the necessary causal agent. Twenty years ago, etiologic and methodologic studies had already yielded 2 powerful preventive approaches. There are excellent vaccines to prevent the most carcinogenic types of HPV infection; reduced HPV endemicity will ultimately prevent a large fraction of cervical precancer and cancers. For prevention of cervical cancer in the interim, sensitive HPV tests that target women at risk of cancer, by detection of the DNA/RNA of approximately a dozen carcinogenic HPV types, permit early diagnosis and treatment of precancers.Although HPV vaccines and tests have continued to improve, implementation of these new HPV-based prevention methods has been relatively slow in the United States and in most places worldwide. Increasing vaccination rates is the clearest and most vital long-term priority. But, for decades to come, screening will also be important. To promote useful discussion, this commentary will raise some current critical issues in simplifying and speeding the rational introduction of HPV molecular methods into US cervical screening.