Botswana CASCADE: improving cervical cancer prevention for women living with HIV

Botswana CASCADE Clinical Trials Site

NIH-funded research Brigham and Women's Hospital · NIH-11103149

This project tries new ways to find and treat early cervical changes in women living with HIV in Botswana so fewer women die from cervical cancer.

Quick facts

Grant typeNIH-funded research
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionBrigham and Women's Hospital NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (Boston, United States)
Project IDNIH-11103149 on NIH RePORTER

What this research studies

You would be invited to join programs run from a new clinical site in Botswana that test ways to increase screening and treatment for cervical precancer. Methods include HPV self-sampling, offering screening outside traditional clinics and during antenatal visits, and using new technologies to better decide who needs treatment. The project will also work to make treatment easier to access, help more people complete therapy, and directly compare ablation methods for treating precancers. All approaches aim to prevent invasive cancer while avoiding unnecessary procedures and easing demands on local health services.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: Ideal candidates are women living with HIV in Botswana, including those attending antenatal care or those with a positive HPV screen or precancerous cervical lesions.

Not a fit: People who are not at risk for cervical HPV disease (for example men) or women who already have advanced invasive cervical cancer may not receive direct benefit from this program.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lower cervical cancer deaths by catching precancer earlier and improving treatment access and completion for women with HIV.

How similar studies have performed: HPV self-sampling and screen-and-treat approaches have reduced cervical cancer in other settings, but tailoring these strategies specifically for women living with HIV in southern Africa remains an area of active work.

Where this research is happening

Boston, United States

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.
Conditions AIDS associated cancerAIDS related cancerAcquired Immune Deficiency SyndromeAcquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome Virus
Last reviewed 2026-06-13 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.