HPV vaccination is the foundation of primary prevention.

However, because vaccination does not treat existing infection, screening remains essential.

HPV testing provides high sensitivity for detecting precancer and cancer, and negative results offer long‑term reassurance. The World Health Organization recommends HPV DNA (guidelines from WHO) testing as the primary screening method, with newer approaches able to identify specific high‑risk genotypes of the virus. This added level of detail helps distinguish which patients face higher or lower risk of disease.

Rather than treating all HPV infections the same, modern approaches group high‑risk HPV genotypes based on their likelihood of progressing to cancer. This enables a more structured, risk‑based approach to screening, where patients can be prioritized for further evaluation or treatment based on genotype category.

Self‑sampled HPV testing expands access by eliminating the need for speculum exams for most women, reducing barriers to participation and increasing screening coverage. Only a subset of patients require further clinical evaluation, improving efficiency while maintaining accuracy. Modern HPV testing platforms are designed for real‑world implementation, with rapid results, minimal workflow complexity, and scalable performance across diverse care settings.