Abstract
BACKGROUND: Cervical cancer is a gynecological malignant tumor and a serious threat to women's health. Although human papillomavirus (HPV) infection and the occurrence of cervical cancer are known to be closely related, the underlying carcinogenic mechanism of HPV is not fully understood. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are found in a variety of body fluids and play an important role in both intercellular communication and cancer progression. Furthermore, the presence of EVs makes liquid biopsy of cervical cancer possible. The study of EVs in cervical cancer can provide clinical ideas for the diagnosis and treatment of the disease. OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this article is to summarizes the role of EV contents in HPV-associated cervical cancer and discusses the possible clinical application of EVs in cervical cancer treatment. METHODS: The search terms included the following: HPV with cervical cancer and extracellular vesicles. The initial literature search ended on March 1, 2023. CONCLUSIONS: In HPV-positive cervical cancer, EV contents are changed due to the presence of HPV. HPV-positive cervical cancer affects the cell microenvironment and other surrounding cells through the secretion of EVs.