Cervical cancer is the only one of all human cancers that can be eradicated by early prevention and treatment. There is a long and reversible precancerous period of cervical cancer, which usually takes 10 to 15 or even 20 years to develop from ordinary cervical inflammation to cervical invasive cancer. If timely diagnosis and treatment can be received during this precancerous period, the lesion can be prevented from developing into a life-threatening invasive cancer. However, unfortunately, because of the absence of early cervical cancer and the general lack of awareness of early screening, 80% of patients are diagnosed with invasive cancer. In recent years, the incidence of the disease has been trending younger, with the average age of onset dropping from 52 years 10 years ago to 45 years now, with the youngest being 17 to 18 years old. Studies have shown that cervical cancer is associated with early marriage, premature sex and sexual confusion. Drug use and smoking among young women also contribute to the high incidence of cervical cancer. Currently, the mortality rate of cervical cancer in China is the first among all cancers. For cervical cancer, it is especially important to establish the awareness of “early screening” and regular hospital checkups. HPV genetic testing can detect cervical cancer early. High-risk HPV (human papillomavirus) is the primary culprit of cervical cancer. Systematic and effective screening can reduce the mortality rate of cervical cancer by 50% to 80%. Although China has launched “two cancers” screening programs including cervical cancer screening since 2009, the prevalence of cervical cancer screening is still relatively low, which is a challenge for early diagnosis and treatment of cervical cancer. In addition, the main treatment methods for cervical cancer in China are radiation therapy (preferred in the middle and late stages) and surgical excision (in the early stage), and the recurrence rate is high after treatment. To prevent cervical cancer at the source, a combination of vaccine application and screening means is also needed. There are 14 high-risk HPV strains, with HPV16 and HPV18 having the highest risk, both of which can cause 70% of cervical cancer cases. Zhang Ya Xian, head of pathology at the University of Hong Kong’s Pap smear laboratory, said that up to 75 percent of women are infected with HPV at some point in their lives, and most women are able to clear this virus with their own immunity, but if they are continuously infected with HPV for a long period of time, the cervix is in a state of repeated infection, and cells tend to mutate, which is likely to cause cervical cancer. Studies have also found that women infected with HPV16 or HPV18 have a 35 times higher risk of developing precancerous cervical lesions than women who do not carry these types of viruses. Therefore, in theory, the key to preventing cervical cancer is to prevent infection with HPV16 or 18 and to detect and treat them early. 2. Vaccination is not a substitute for cervical cancer screening The main “culprit” of cervical cancer is human papilloma virus (HPV). The squamous cells on the surface of the cervix and the cervical mucus together play a protective role. After HPV infection, most women are able to clear the virus from their bodies. However, less than 10% of women are unable to get rid of the virus, resulting in a persistent infection. The main mode of transmission of HPV is sexual transmission. Statistics show that 80% of women have been infected with HPV in their lifetime. The vaccine is designed to prevent persistent HPV infection in women. There are two types of HPV vaccines approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA): the quadrivalent vaccine (for HPV types 6, 11 (mainly causing genital warts), 16 and 18 (mainly causing cervical and vaginal tumors) and the bivalent vaccine (for HPV types 16 and 18). HPV types 16 and 18). The former is indicated for women aged 9 to 26 years and the latter for women aged 10 to 25 years. Although both vaccines can make vaccinees immune to HPV types 16 and 18, which are responsible for 70% of cervical cancers, other subtypes of HPV can still cause cervical cancer in vaccinees, so vaccination cannot replace cervical cancer screening, and vaccinees still have to undergo the same screening as those who are not vaccinated. 3. It is best to get the vaccine before puberty. It is not cheap to get the cervical cancer vaccine outside of China, as it requires three injections, each of which costs several thousand dollars. As a result, most of the women who go abroad for vaccination are high-income people, most of whom are already sexually active. “Once you have had sexual experience, it means that you may have been exposed to HPV virus or even infected. If you get the vaccine again, the protection will not be as ideal.” Experts warn that the best time to get the cervical cancer vaccine is before a woman has her first sexual encounter, and it is best to have a general vaccination at a young age, like the hepatitis B vaccine. It is understood that a significant percentage of the population abroad who receive the HPV vaccine are girls who are about to enter puberty or are in their flowering season. Despite these limitations, the vaccine is still a positive preventive tool to reduce the risk of infection. However, from the perspective of cervical cancer prevention, “mature girls” do not necessarily need to hug the vaccine as a “tree” to prevent cervical cancer. “After HPV infection, the virus can be latent in the cells for several years, and once the body’s immunity is reduced, the latent virus can resume its activity.” . 4.Regular gynecological examination is more reliable than cervical cancer vaccine Currently, the best combination of examination plan is TCT (liquid-based thin layer cytology) plus HPV test. The combination of cervical cytology and HPV testing can detect the vast majority of high and low grade lesions. For women, fewer bottles of skin care products or clothes can be purchased to understand their health risks. The TCT and HPV tests require specimens to be collected during the gynecological exam, and a special small brush is used to remove a number of cells from the cervix, which takes only a few minutes and is painless and non-invasive. There is no need to do any preparation before the test, just avoid menstruation. If the test is negative for HPV, cervical cytology can be done once every 1 to 2 years. If both tests are positive, the risk of “upgrading” to cervical cancer is much higher and colposcopy is required. Gynecologists suggest that women with six types of high-risk factors should pay special attention to regular gynecological checkups: first, early sexual life; second, women who have given birth early or multiple times; third, women who have multiple sexual partners or whose spouses have multiple sexual partners; fourth, male partners with long foreskin or sexually transmitted diseases such as genital herpes; fifth, women with cervical lesions such as cervicitis and precancerous cervical lesions; sixth, women with cervical cancer, endometrial cancer, vaginal cancer or vulvar cancer. Sixth, family history of cervical cancer, endometrial cancer, vaginal cancer or vulvar cancer. Once abnormal vaginal bleeding occurs, especially after sexual intercourse, cervical screening should be performed immediately.