The Early Screening Methods for Cervical Cancer

Abstract

Cervical cancer is a major threat to global women’s health, and early screening is crucial for reducing its incidence and mortality. This paper systematically reviews four mainstream cervical cancer early screening methods: cytological screening, HPV DNA testing, visual inspection with acetic acid (VIA), and combined testing, and compares their sensitivity, specificity, cost, and operational complexity. It further summarizes recommendations from global authoritative guidelines (WHO, USPSTF, ACS) and regional application cases (Rwanda, the United States, the United Kingdom, China), revealing that screening strategy selection is closely tied to regional economic levels and medical resource allocation. The study also identifies current challenges in global screening promotion, including uneven resource distribution, gaps between guidelines and clinical practices, and low public screening willingness. Finally, it proposes future directions: developing low-cost and user-friendly screening techniques, optimizing HPV-positive triage strategies, and enhancing health education and policy support to advance cervical cancer screening and improve women’s health outcomes.