Developing a scalable, woman-centred model for cervical cancer screening in vulnerable women in India

Background

Cervical cancer is a devastating disease that impacts women, families and communities. It is however preventable. Our aim is to work with women, communities and health services in two States of India to design a woman friendly approach to prevent cervical cancer. These states are Tamil Nadu in the south and Mizoram in the northeast and we will work with vulnerable women in remote, rural and urban areas.

Currently 1 in 5 cases of cervical cancer globally occur in India so this project brings together international and Indian experts to find a way to prevent these cases.

Aims

We want to overcome current barriers to cervical screening, including the need for a genital examination, using a newer more accurate test (called HPV testing, which detects the types of human papillomavirus that can sometimes cause cancer) that can be done on vaginal samples that a woman takes herself.

Project plan

In year 1, we will examine the current situation and then sit down with women, health care providers and policy makers to identify the current problems, identify ways to address them and design a new way of screening that we hope will work better.
In Year 2, we will try this approach out in a study that will compare having the screening test at home compared to taking the test at a health centre and see how many women take part and how many women who need further tests and treatment have these done.
In the last year we will analyse the findings to see how well it reached women, its acceptability and cost-effectiveness and decide with the local community and health services whether it should keep being used. If our new approach works, this research could save the lives of many women in India and potentially around the world.

Principal investigators

Julia Brotherton VCS Foundation

Team members

Partha Basu International Agency for Research on Cancer, World Health Organization, France
Brian Oldenburg The University of Melbourne, Australia
Marion Saville VCS Foundation Ltd, Australia
Anu Oomen Christian Medical College (CMC), India
Abraham Peedicayil Christian Medical College (CMC), India
Eric Zomawia National Health Mission, India
Ravikumar Manoharan Tribal Health Initiative, India
Ruby Pricilla Christian Medical College (CMC), India
Sujha Subramanian RTI International, United States
David Hawkes VCS Foundation Ltd, Australia
Andre Carvahlo International Agency for Research on Cancer, World Health Organization, France
Rebekah Grace Christian Medical College (CMC), India
Tarun George Christian Medical College (CMC), India
Kuryan George Christian Medical College (CMC), India
Anne George Cherian Christian Medical College (CMC), India
Jeremy Pautu Government of Mizoram, Health & Family Welfare Department, India
Sang Zuala Zoram Medical College, India
Vanrem Mawii Zoram Medical College, India