Since the summer of 2006, the FDA has approved Gardisil as a vaccine to prevent specific human papillomavirus (HPV) infections. The vaccine protects against four types of human papillomavirus (HPV) infections. Although the vaccine is approved for women ages 9 to 26, the vaccine is recommended for girls ages 11 to 12. Dr. Tri Dinh, an obstetrics and gynecology specialist at Methodist Hospital, said that while Gardisil’s ability to fight cervical cancer is exciting news, it is important to note, however, that annual Pap smear screening remains the best means of preventing cervical cancer. January is Cervical Cancer Awareness Month in the United States, and Dr. Tri Dinh reminds women that they should visit their gynecologists for routine screenings. “Cervical cancer is currently the only gynecologic cancer that can be prevented through routine screening, and the Pap smear may be the only and most important screening method by which women can prevent the development and progression of cervical cancer in women.” Dr. Tri Dinh said, “Pap smears can directly detect changes in the cervix, treat cervical lesions and prevent the progression of cervical cancer.” Natasha Spradley, a mother of three, always thought she was perfectly healthy and had little reason to have routine gynecological exams. Yet such thoughts were completely overturned when she was diagnosed with cervical cancer. Two years earlier, Spradley had been feeling very tired and had noticed unusual vaginal bleeding, and after a Pap smear and biopsy, she was diagnosed with stage 2 cervical cancer. Dr. Tri Dinh, mentioned earlier, operated on her to remove the tumor. Spradley now returns to Methodist Hospital every six months for follow-up exams, and she also persuades her friends and family members to go for routine gynecological exams. “I never thought that this would happen to me. It was a huge shock to me. Now I try to persuade every female friend that they should have routine gynecological exams.” Spradley’s 12-year-old daughter also received the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination. “My daughter knows that I wouldn’t want her to go through the same thing I did. The vaccine is essential.” Dr. Tri Dinh recommends that women who have had sex within three years or who have reached age 21 should receive annual Pap smears. He said most patients diagnosed with cervical cancer have not received a Pap smear three to five years prior to diagnosis.