Expanding Cervical Cancer Screening and Preventive Therapy (CCS&PT) through Introducing New Technologies and Integrating with Voluntary Family Planning

Evaluating innovative technologies and approaches to addressing cervical cancer in the Republic of Mozambique

Overview

The consortium will work to integrate existing screening and treatment technologies with voluntary family planning programs, while testing the feasibility and efficacy of innovative cervical cancer diagnostic tests.

U.S. Lead: Dr. Kathleen Schmeler, kschmele@mdanderson.org, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
Mozambique Lead: Dr. Cesaltina Ferreira Lorenzoni, ferreria.cesaltina@gmail.com, Universidade Eduardo Mondlane
Implementing Partners: Population Service International, Rice University, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, International Gynecologic Cancer Society, and the Clinton Health Access Initiative

About

The Republic of Mozambique has one of the highest burdens of cervical cancer in the world. This is due in part to limited resources and health facilities that provide screening programs, as well as a shortage of medical providers trained to perform the necessary diagnostic and treatment procedures. There is a critical need to develop innovative technologies and build capacity in order to decrease the burden of cervical cancer.

With support from The United States Agency for International Development (USAID), The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center (MD Anderson) and The Universidade Eduardo Mondlane (UEM) will lead a consortium of partners to implement a new project in the Republic of Mozambique. They will join other consortium partners Population Services International, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Rice University, the International Gynecologic Cancer Society, and the Clinton Health Access Initiative to integrate cervical cancer screening and preventive therapy within voluntary family planning programs the Republic of Mozambique.

The program will offer eligible women cervical cancer screening with primary human papillomavirus (HPV) testing. Women who screen positive for HPV will undergo visual assessment for lesions, followed by thermocoagulation. Thermocoagulation uses heat to remove affected tissue and is portable, quick, and effective. The consortium will also introduce and evaluate new technologies developed by Rice University to improve the effectiveness of cervical cancer screening and diagnosis. These technologies include new diagnostics that may be cheaper and simpler to implement at scale.

USAID helps developing countries with their journey to self-reliance by strengthening service delivery and higher education institutions’ capacity for research and collaboration, enabling countries to build their commitment and capacity to plan, finance, and implement solutions to their own development challenges. Research can create commercial opportunities for businesses which spur local economies.

Partnerships for Enhanced Engagement in Research (PEER) is a competitive awards program that invites scientists in developing countries to apply for funds to support research and capacity-building activities on topics of importance to USAID and is conducted in partnership with U.S. Government-funded and selected private sector partners. A primary focus of this partnership is leveraging longstanding investments in voluntary family planning programs, as well as other efforts to address cervical cancer, to build capacity in countries to sustainably address the burden of cervical cancer. The program is supported by USAID but implemented by the U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. For more information please see the PEER website.

Watch Videos

Part 1: https://vimeo.com/383834202?fl=pl&fe=sh

Part 2: https://vimeo.com/822119837?fl=pl&fe=sh

Accelerating the introduction of a human papillomavirus screen-and-treat strategy in the Republic of Malawi

Overview

The consortium will work to evaluate the feasibility and cost-effectiveness of integrating human papillomavirus testing and thermocoagulation treatment with voluntary family planning at static and community-based sites.

U.S. Lead: Dr. Jennifer Tang, Jennifer_tang@med.unc.edu, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Malawi Lead: Dr. Luis Gadama, lgadama@medcol.mw, the University of Malawi College of Medicine
Implementing Partners: Management Sciences for Health, University of Washington, University of Malawi Polytechnic

About

In the Republic of Malawi, cervical cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths among women. The country also has the world’s second highest incidence of cervical cancer. These deaths can largely be prevented through regular screening for, and timely treatment of precancerous cervical lesions. This is due in part to limited resources and health facilities that provide screening programs, as well as a shortage of medical providers trained to perform the necessary diagnostic and treatment procedures. There is a critical need to develop innovative technologies and approaches that will increase access to screening and treatment services.

With support from The United States Agency for International Development (USAID), The University of North Carolina (UNC) at Chapel Hill and The University of Malawi College of Medicine will lead a consortium of partners to implement a new project in the Republic of Malawi. They will join other consortium partners, Management Sciences for Health (MSH), Malawi Polytechnic, and the University of Washington to evaluate the feasibility and cost-effectiveness of integrating a human papillomavirus (HPV)-based cervical cancer screening and treatment approach with voluntary family planning programs in the Republic of Malawi.

This strategy, which empowers women to self-collect samples for HPV testing, will provide HPV-positive women with an opportunity for same-day treatment of visible precancerous lesions. Treatment will be done using thermocoagulation, which is a portable device that uses heat to quickly, safely, and effectively remove affected tissue. To increase access for rural women, this project will offer HPV self-collection in community-based settings. The consortium’s research will build upon a previous UNC study that found that thermocoagulation is safe and acceptable to rural Malawian women when offered in community-based campaigns.

USAID helps developing countries with their journey to self-reliance by strengthening service delivery and higher education institutions’ capacity for research and collaboration, enabling countries to build their commitment and capacity to plan, finance, and implement solutions to their own development challenges. Research can create commercial opportunities for businesses which spur local economies.

Partnerships for Enhanced Engagement in Research (PEER) is a competitive awards program that invites scientists in developing countries to apply for funds to support research and capacity-building activities on topics of importance to USAID and is conducted in partnership with U.S. Government-funded and selected private sector partners. A primary focus of this partnership is leveraging longstanding investments in voluntary family planning programs, as well as other efforts to address cervical cancer, to build capacity in countries to sustainably address the burden of cervical cancer. The program is supported by USAID but implemented by the U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. For more information please see the PEER website.

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Expanding Cervical Cancer Screening and Preventive Therapy (CCS&PT) through Introducing New Technologies and Integrating with Voluntary Family Planning

2019

Awarded Projects

My Academies

Expanding Cervical Cancer Screening and Preventive Therapy (CCS&PT) through Introducing New Technologies and Integrating with Voluntary Family Planning

2019

Awarded Projects