An HPV-positive result is very common and does not necessarily mean you have cervical cancer. This is true whether you did a self-collection or clinician-collected screening. For most people (90% of cases), your immune system will clear the HPV infection without any treatment within 2 years. But in some cases (those remaining 10%), the HPV infection can persist. If it goes without follow-up care and remains untreated for many years, it can cause abnormal cell changes.
When HPV persists untreated, it takes about 5-10 years for HPV-infected cervical cells to develop into precancers, and around 10 years for precancers to develop into cervical cancer.
However, when cervical cell changes are identified early, they can be more easily treated, and cervical cancer can be prevented entirely. This is why screening routinely and seeking follow-up care are so important.
Read more about HPV.