Exec Summary Vol. A plateau of what can be achieved by conventional cytology is now being reached, and the fundamental importance of HPV in the aetiology of cervical cancer has been clearly demonstrated. There is much interest in the use of HPV testing to improve both the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of cervical screening. It is thus opportune to review research into its potential implementation. Since the field is currently very active there is considerable flux in the state of knowledge, so that the current literature will quickly become obsolete.
Objectives is a bullet.
To review the methods available for HPV testing and determine their appropriateness for widespread implementation. To determine what future research is required to obtain more reliable answers about its use in screening. Methods Eight databases were searched, producing a total of about 2100 papers. Ongoing and unpublished studies were included. Papers were divided into broad categories and initially screened by title and abstract using predefined criteria.