Zhejiang University Women's Hospital Team Solves Worldwide Challenge in Cervical Cancer Prevention and Treatment

Background

Cervical cancer remains one of the major global health challenges for women. Persistent infection with high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) is the primary cause. Reports note that while female HPV infection rates are approximately 15 percent, only about 1 percent of the high-risk group ultimately develops cervical cancer. The biological steps between initial infection and carcinogenesis had long been unclear to scientists.

What was achieved

Wang Hui, professor, chief physician and Party Secretary of the Women's Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, led a team that addressed the core questions of why cervical cancer occurs, how to screen for it, and how to treat it. The team constructed a full-chain original achievement system spanning theoretical innovation, technological breakthrough, product transformation and clinical application.

On February 9, 2026, the project "Cervical Cancer Precise Screening and Prevention Key Technology Innovation and Promotion" received first prize in the 2024 Zhejiang Provincial Science and Technology Progress Award. The team identified 3,667 HPV integration sites in cervical cancer cases, reported as the globally largest number at the time, and created the first high-frequency HPV integration site map. They proposed the new theory of "microhomology-mediated HPV integration drives cervical cancer" and determined that integration activates the HK3/mTOR pathway in macrophages to promote tumor immune escape.

The centerpiece is the world's first HPV integration detection kit, part of a complete screening and prevention technology system. The kit gained national medical device innovation review green channel status in 2022, has been used as a laboratory-developed test in over 30 tertiary hospitals, and has been incorporated into relevant Chinese cervical cancer screening guidelines and national textbooks. A complementary hybrid-capture HPV screening kit for primary detection and 16/18 genotyping was also developed, with performance matching leading international products. The achievements were described as reaching internationally leading levels.

How it works

HPV infection is common, but only some cases progress. Scientists had established that integration of HPV genetic material into the human genome is a pivotal step in carcinogenesis. The Zhejiang team mapped thousands of integration events and identified the mechanism: after HPV enters cells and lies dormant, breaks in host DNA (from various stimuli) allow integration if short matching "microhomology" DNA sequences exist near the break points in both viral and host genomes. The viral genes then insert and connect into the human chromosome like building blocks.

The HPV integration detection kit uses molecular techniques to identify these specific viral-human DNA junctions across relevant sites from clinical samples. Cohort studies in hospital and general screening populations showed that integration-positive individuals have a 5.6 times higher risk of cervical lesion progression than those who are integration-negative. For patients positive for HPV16 or HPV18 but integration-negative, the risk of high-grade lesions (CIN3+) is only 3.2 percent. This enables nearly 20 percent higher diagnostic specificity for CIN3+ compared with traditional cytology and could allow up to 80 percent of HPV16/18-positive patients to avoid unnecessary colposcopy and biopsy. The approach supports precise triage, reducing overtreatment while identifying those requiring intervention. The hybrid-capture kit provides primary screening capable of distinguishing key high-risk types.

What it means for international patients

The hospital has an International Medical Center with a dedicated international diagnosis and treatment zone, multilingual support, an international service hotline, personalized appointment and settlement processes, and partnerships with international insurance providers. It has served patients from countries including Malaysia, Switzerland and Bangladesh, offering care aligned with international standards across its Hangzhou campuses.

International patients considering advanced gynecologic oncology or cervical screening services may find the precision risk-stratification approach relevant for more accurate assessment and potentially reduced invasive procedures. Availability and eligibility for the specific HPV integration detection technologies or related clinical services must be confirmed directly with the hospital, as implementation details continue to evolve following validation.

About the hospital

Women's Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University (also known as Zhejiang University Women's Hospital or Zhejiang Women's Hospital) is a tertiary Class A specialized obstetrics and gynecology hospital located in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province. It is affiliated with Zhejiang University School of Medicine and serves as a provincial and national guidance center for women's healthcare, obstetrics, gynecology, family planning and scientific research. The hospital has 1,120 beds and approximately 2,011 staff members, including nearly 600 physicians and over 800 nurses.

It is a national referral center for complex cases in obstetrics, gynecology, gynecologic oncology, reproductive endocrinology, neonatology and breast surgery. Obstetrics and gynecology are national key (cultivating) clinical specialties. The hospital has received the highest A-grade rating in national performance assessments for tertiary public maternity and gynecology hospitals and ranks among the top in specialist reputation and science-technology metrics in China. It maintains an International Affairs Office established in 2018, international collaborative research platforms, and partnerships with institutions in more than ten countries and regions.