From the Pap smear to a vaccine
In 1928 Greek-American physician George Papanicolaou reported that cells shed from the cervix could reveal cancer early. Once the Pap smear spread in the 1940s and '50s, cervical cancer deaths in the U.S. fell by more than 70%. In 1983–84 German virologist Harald zur Hausen found HPV types 16 and 18 in tumors, proving a virus causes the disease—work that won him the 2008 Nobel Prize. The first HPV vaccine, Gardasil, was approved in 2006; a 2020 Swedish study found an 88% lower cancer risk in women vaccinated before 17. That year the WHO launched its "90-70-90" strategy to eliminate cervical cancer.
Causes and symptoms
HPV spreads through sexual contact and is extremely common; most infections clear within one to two years. When a high-risk type persists, it can progress through precancerous changes to cancer over a decade or more. Smoking, a weakened immune system, and early sexual activity raise risk. Early cervical cancer usually has no symptoms. Later signs include bleeding after sex, between periods, or after menopause, unusual discharge, and pelvic pain—any postmenopausal bleeding deserves a checkup.
Screening and vaccination
The USPSTF recommends a Pap test every three years from 21 to 29, then from 30 to 65 either primary HPV testing every five years, co-testing every five years, or a Pap every three years. Self-collected HPV tests were FDA-approved in 2024. Precancers found early are treated with simple procedures like LEEP. The CDC recommends the HPV vaccine at 11–12 (as early as 9) with catch-up through 26, and vaccinating boys prevents genital warts and anal and throat cancers too. Vaccinated people still need screening.
This article is general health information and is not a substitute for diagnosis or treatment. If symptoms persist, see a doctor.
FAQ
- Is the vaccine pointless if I've already had sex?
- No—it won't clear types you have, but it protects against others; ask your doctor if you're 27–45.
- Does a positive HPV test mean cancer?
- No. Most infections go away; follow-up testing checks whether it persists.
Sources reviewed: 2026-10-26
References
- zur Hausen, H. (2002). Papillomaviruses and cancer: From basic studies to clinical application. Nature Reviews Cancer, 2(5), 342–350.
- World Health Organization. (2020). Global strategy to accelerate the elimination of cervical cancer as a public health problem.
- Lei, J., et al. (2020). HPV vaccination and the risk of invasive cervical cancer. NEJM, 383(14), 1340–1348.