Cervical cancer, commonly known as cervical cancer, is the most common gynecologic malignancy. Epidemiological and molecular biological data show that human papillomavirus (HPV) infection can cause cervical cancer, and there are differences in the curative ability of different HPV types, and persistent infection with high-risk HPV types is the most important factor contributing to the development of cervical cancer. HPV has been listed as a routine screening indicator for cervical cancer and precancerous lesions in many countries, and its typing is of great significance for the screening and treatment of cervical cancer. The significance of HPV typing for cervical cancer screening and treatment is far-reaching! Q: What are the screening time and items for cervical cancer? A：Women over 21 years old who have sexual intercourse for more than 3 years can consider TCT; HPV screening is not advocated for those under 25 years old; combined HPV+TCT screening can be considered for those over 30 years old; patients with suspicious symptoms still need to be screened regardless of age. Q: Is HPV infection a disease? A: HPV infection is not a disease in itself. Most infections can be cleared by the body’s own immunity and do not cause any symptoms or affect health. HPV infection alone does not require treatment, but only persistent infection causing cervical intraepithelial lesions requires treatment. Q: Can HPV infection affect pregnancy and can HPV be transmitted in utero to the baby? A: According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), HPV can be transmitted vertically from mother to baby during labor, but this is a very rare occurrence. In fact, the agency estimates the probability to be about 1.1 in 100,000+ babies. In these rare cases, HPV infection appears in the infant’s respiratory tract, most commonly causing laryngeal papilloma. Early detection and treatment is the key. Q: Does the patient still need HPV typing test when he/she already has liquid-based cytology test results? A: Cytology is a morphologic test. If there is a significant abnormality in liquid-based cytology indicating a high degree of pathology, further diagnosis and treatment can be made. If the liquid-based cytology is negative or if the cervical atypical squamous epithelium/low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (ASCUS/LSIL), HPV typing test is applied for effective triage to improve the sensitivity of detecting high-grade lesions, as well as to assess the woman’s risk of developing cervical lesions and to determine the time for the next review. Q: How do you understand persistent high-risk HPV infection? A: Persistent high-risk HPV infection means that women with high-risk HPV infection still test positive for high-risk HPV DNA when they are retested after one year; if the first HPV test result is positive after the age of 30, they can also be considered to have persistent HPV infection. Their risk of developing cervical cancer is extremely high and should be taken seriously. Q: Why should I undergo colposcopy directly if I am positive for HPV 16 and 18? A: The cancer risk of HPV 16 and 18 is much higher than other types. Some studies have reported that HPV 16 and 18 account for up to 70% of cervical cancer and precancerous lesions, and because of the low sensitivity of cytology testing, it is easy to miss the diagnosis. Therefore, HPV 16 and 18 should be tested directly by colposcopy, regardless of whether the test is negative or positive. Q: If a woman tests negative for both HPV DNA and cytology, why can the screening interval be extended by 3 years? A: Major studies have shown that combined screening for both has a detection rate of almost 100% of cervical lesions without persistent HPV infection and almost no cancer. Moreover, it takes at least 8 to 10 years from HPV infection to cervical cancer, so if both combined tests are negative, the screening interval can be safely extended to 3 years.