Human papillomavirus (HPV) is the most significant causative agent for cervical cancer. There is a definitive link between infection with certain types of HPV and cervical cancer and its precursors. Infection with human papillomavirus can cause changes in cervical cells that can be detected through Pap testing.¹

The ThinPrep® Pap Test is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as a platform for HPV DNA testing directly from the ThinPrep collection vial. A study conducted by the National Cancer Institute concluded that HPV testing is a viable method for determining which patients with borderline Pap results (also known as ASCUS) are at highest risk for developing cancer.

Vaccination against the most cancer-causing types of HPV is now possible. While not a replacement for routine cervical cancer screening (pap testing), the HPV vaccine is a new tool to fight cervical disease. The American Cancer Society (ACS) has developed guidelines for the use of the HPV vaccine for the prevention of cervical cancer and its precursors. The ACS recommendations are based on a formal review of the available evidence and address issues such as who should be vaccinated and at what age, as well as a discussion of implementation and screening issues. The full article on the ACS guidelines for HPV vaccination is available at: http://caonline.amcancersoc.org/cgi/content/full/57/1/7.

In March 2007, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) published their recommendations on the use of an HPV vaccine approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in June 2006. Their recommendations are available at: http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/rr56e312a1.htm?s_cid=rr56e312a1_e