HOPE CASCADE

HIV/cervical cancer cOntrol and Prevention clinical sitE in Kenya within the CASCADE Clinical Trials Network

Because many women living with HIV (WLWH) are also infected with human papillomavirus (HPV), the cause of cervical cancer, they have a very high likelihood of developing cervical cancer over their lifetime. In this project, we propose to implement a clinical site in Nairobi, Kenya at a high-volume HIV treatment clinic called the Coptic Hope Center for Infectious Diseases where clinical trials can be conducted and test interventions to improve cervical cancer screening and treatment for WLWH. At our site, we have the experience and expertise to study methods that can potentially increase the number of women getting screened, improve how women who test positive are managed, and better treat any disease that is detected for the NCI HIV/cervical cancer CASCADE clinical trials network.

Aims

1. Create a pluripotent infrastructure for accruing participants to network clinical trials.
2. Contribute insights and input on clinical significance and study feasibility during concept and protocol development for the HIV/cervical cancer CASCADE clinical trials network.
3. Provide on-site operational leadership for the successful conduct of the CASCADE clinical trials network.

Approach

In this proposal, HOPE CASCADE will implement a clinical site at the Coptic Hope Center for Infectious Diseases in Kenya that will increase screening uptake among WLWH; improve management of women who screen positive; and optimize precancer treatment for WLWH. The Coptic Hope Center oversees a network of 25 faith-based HIV treatment clinics in Nairobi, Kenya with funding from the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and manages cervical screening at these sites for >25,000 WLWH. These clinics in Kenya will contribute to the CASCADE network, which is funded by the US National Cancer Institute (NCI) Division of Cancer Prevention (DCP) (CASCADE Network Clinical Trials).

Funding

HOPE CASCADE is funded through a US National Institutes of Health (NIH)/National Cancer Institute (NCI) grant: UG1 CA275400.