Infection with human papillomavirus (HPV) is the first necessary cause for cervical cancer development. Al­though cervical cancer can be prevented and treated if detected early enough, it is the second biggest cause of female cancer mortality worldwide. Early detection of precursor cervical lesions by screening methods based on cytological and/or HPV testing should be encouraged because it offers protection against invasive cervical can­cer. This review discusses the essential issues concerning cervical cancer and provides future prospectives.

Key words: Cervical cancer; Screening; Human pap­illomavirus (HPV).