The Unified Health System (SUS) detected high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) in 9,904 of the 93,000 HPV DNA samples processed in 2026, just over 10% of the total, as it expands testing across the country. The test locates the virus before it causes changes in the cervix, which makes it possible to monitor these women and investigate each case before the infection develops into cancer.
The numbers are part of a report by the Ministry of Health released exclusively to g1. Since last year, 153,000 samples have been collected. The test is already available in 26 of the 27 units of the federation, but the implementation is gradual: in each of them, the test started in at least one municipality.
Espírito Santo is the only one that has not yet started tracking, and the ministry states that the start depends on the completion of local organization stages.
Scanning that looks for the virus
Unlike the Pap smear, which examines cells in the cervix for changes, DNA-HPV looks for the genetic material of the virus, including types 16 and 18, the ones most associated with cancer. When the result is negative, the next collection is only necessary in five years.
A positive result does not mean the woman has cancer, and the path depends on the type of virus found. According to the guidelines of the National Cancer Institute (INCA), the detection of 16 or 18 leads to direct referral for colposcopy, an exam in which the doctor observes the cervix with a magnifying glass and, if there is a suspicious area, removes a fragment for biopsy.
When the virus is of another high-risk type, the cells from the sample itself are analyzed in the laboratory, and colposcopy is only indicated if there is a change or if the material is not sufficient for analysis.
The material is collected by health professionals in Basic Health Units (UBS). In situations provided for in the protocol, the patient can collect it herself, after receiving guidance from a professional.
The kits are produced by the Institute of Molecular Biology of Paraná (IBMP), linked to the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz).
Steps still missing
Managers and coordinators from the 27 federation units underwent training, in person and online, on the new protocol and the reorganization of care, and passed on the guidance to the UBS teams.
In Espírito Santo, the materials are scheduled to be sent this year. The ministry also evaluates other technologies that meet SUS quality standards, which can expand the options for providing the test.
How HPV leads to cervical cancer
The cervix is the lowest part of the organ, the one that connects to the vagina. The cancer that appears there is born from changes in the cells that line this region, called precursor lesions.
The main cause of these changes is persistent infection with high-risk types of HPV, a virus transmitted mainly through sexual contact. The infection is very common, and most of the time the body eliminates the virus on its own, without the woman noticing.
When it remains for years, the cells can undergo gradual changes until they form a tumor. Types 16 and 18 are behind most cases, so the test identifies them separately.
Disease that can be avoided
The gradual evolution of the infection to the tumor is what makes screening effective: finding the virus or lesions before cancer opens up the chance to monitor the woman and treat the change in time.
"Few diseases show so well what early detection can do, both for the woman diagnosed in time and for the health of the entire population. The cure rate is much higher, in addition to reducing the complexity of treatment and allowing quality of life to be preserved", says oncologist Stephen Stefani, from the Oncoclínicas group and the Americas Health Foundation.
According to him, the cure rate exceeds 90% when the tumor is found through screening, which makes cervical cancer possibly one of the biggest indicators of the quality of public health in oncology.
Inca estimates around 19,300 new cases of cervical cancer per year in Brazil between 2026 and 2028.
In the early stages, the disease may not cause any symptoms. Still, bleeding during or after sexual intercourse, between periods or after menopause, pain during intercourse and bloody or foul-smelling discharge should be evaluated by a healthcare professional.
In advanced cases, pain in the pelvis or lower back, intense tiredness, kidney problems and swelling and pain in the legs may appear.
Vaccination against HPV acts on the cause of the disease. In 2025, coverage among children and adolescents aged 9 to 14 was 87% among girls and 74% among boys, above the world average, according to the ministry.
