In general, it can be said that carcinogenic HPV is the necessary but infrequent cause of cervical cancer. That cervical cancer is the second most common cancer worldwide is to a great extent a result of the nearly ubiquitous exposure to HPV after sexual debut. Women with persistent carcinogenic HPV infections are at risk of developing precancer,6 although not all persistent infections progress to precancer. If precancer is not detected and treated in a timely manner, a significant pro