Cervical Cancer Awareness Month is commemorated annually in September to encourage women to do screening and prevent the cancer. The goal of screening for cervical cancer is to find cervix cell changes and early cervical cancers before they cause symptoms.

Screening refers to the use of tests and exams to find a disease, such as cancer, in people who do not have any symptoms.

Early detection means applying a strategy that results in an earlier diagnosis of cervical cancer than otherwise might have occurred. Screening tests offer the best chance to detect cervical cancer at an early stage when successful treatment is likely. Screening can also actually prevent most cervical cancers by finding abnormal cell changes (pre-cancers) so that they can be treated before they have a chance to turn into a cervical cancer.