A Canadian cohort study suggests that primary human papillomavirus (HPV) testing alone is sufficient for cervical cancer screening. The combination of cytological screening with the HPV test did not yield significantly better predictive results compared to the HPV test alone. The study supports the use of HPV testing alone to detect precancerous lesions of the cervix. HPV tests can identify high-risk types of the virus, such as HPV 16 and 18, which cause approximately 70% of cervical cancers[1][3]. These tests work on the basis of DNA and detect infection even before the formation of abnormal cells[1]. Compared to the PAP test, HPV tests achieve a higher sensitivity, for example 96.7% in the detection of precancerous lesions[2]. A positive HPV test does not automatically mean cancer, but signals a higher risk[1][2]. The study confirms the benefits of extending screening intervals up to 5 years in case of a negative result[2].