After a problem is detected, the patient may be monitored with more frequent Pap smears or treatments may be planned to remove any lesions before the progress to cervical cancer.

Pap testing should begin at the onset of sexual activity or at age 21 and continue annually. After age 30, women who have had three years of normal Pap smears may get screened every two or three years if they have no other risk factors for cervical cancer, such as a weakened immune system or HIV infection.

In recent years, a new weapon was added in the war against cervical cancer: the HPV vaccine. First introduced in 2006, the vaccine can prevent the transmission of four major strains of HPV, including the two strains that cause 70 percent of cervical cancer. The vaccine is approved for use in girls and women ages 9 to 26. The vaccine is most effective when it is administered before any potential exposure to HPV, which means before any sexual activity. Although approved for girls as young as 9, the vaccine is recommended for girls ages 11 and 12. For now, the vaccine is not approved for older women or for boys or men, despite the fact that they can transmit HPV.

Knowing your risk for cervical cancer also gives you the tools to prevent it. The best ways to reduce your risk for cervical cancer include:

• Ask your doctor about the HPV vaccine and if you're eligible, get it. The vaccine is given in three doses over six months, so don't forget the last two doses.
  
• Get regular gynecological exams with Pap smears. Follow your doctor's recommendations for anything unusual, such as getting follow-up Pap smears more often or methods to treat any lesions.
  
• Reduce your risk in your sex life. Practice safe sex with fewer partners. Get tested for other sexually transmitted disease because they can increase the risk of contracting HPV in addition to other complications.