On March 14, 2012, the American Cancer Society released new guidelines for cervical cancer prevention and early screening. Screening applies to women without symptoms of cervical cancer. In the new guidelines, annual cervical smears (Pap, a Pap test) are no longer recommended for women. Screening has greatly reduced cervical cancer mortality over the past few decades, and it allows doctors to detect and treat cervical cancer early, or prevent it before it develops. Researchers are still working to discover more causes of cervical cancer and to find better screening methods. Two tests are already being used for cervical cancer screening: the Pap smear and the HPV (human papillomavirus) test. In the new version of the screening guidelines, the following recommendations are made: 1. All women should start cervical cancer screening at the age of 21. 2. Women aged 21 to 29 should have a Pap smear every 3 years. If the result is abnormal then HPV screening is required; if the result is normal then it is not required. 3.Women aged 30~65 years old should have Pap smear and HPV test every 5 years. This is the preferred method, or if a Pap smear is performed every 3 years alone, it is fine. 4. Women who are over 65 years old and all regular screening results are normal do not need to be screened for cervical cancer. Women diagnosed with precancerous cervical lesions should continue to be screened. 5. Women who have had their uterus and cervix removed and have no history of cervical cancer or precancerous cervical lesions do not need to undergo further screening. 6. Women who have received HPV vaccine should undergo the recommended screening according to their age stage. 7. Women at high risk for cervical cancer should be screened more frequently. High-risk women include those with HIV infection, organ transplants, or those taking ethylene estradiol (DES). These women should tell their doctor or nurse. In summary, the American Cancer Society no longer recommends annual Pap smears for women because cervical cancer usually takes a long time, usually 10 to 20 years, to develop and therefore does not require overly frequent screening.