Faster diagnosis and quicker cancer care for people with Kaposi sarcoma in East Africa
Official title: Project 2: Rapid Case Ascertainment as a Tool for Epidemiologic Investigation and Efficient Linkage to Care in HIV-infected Patients Diagnosed with Kaposi Sarcoma in East Africa
Funded at University of California, San Francisco · NIH-11112403 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project rapidly finds adults newly diagnosed with Kaposi sarcoma in East Africa and helps them get linked to HIV and cancer care.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California, San Francisco NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (San Francisco, United States) |
| Project start | July 13, 2020 |
| Project end | June 30, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $90,217 |
| NIH project number | 5U54CA254571-06 |
| Project ID | NIH-11112403 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults aged 21 and older living with HIV who are newly diagnosed with Kaposi sarcoma at participating clinics in Uganda or Kenya would be the ideal candidates.
✕Less likely to help
People without Kaposi sarcoma, children under 21, or individuals outside the participating East African sites would not be eligible and would not directly benefit from this project.
What this research studies
If I have HIV and Kaposi sarcoma, the team works to identify people like me very soon after diagnosis using clinic records and outreach called rapid case ascertainment. They collect early clinical information and arrange faster referrals so people can start HIV and cancer treatment sooner. The project tests simple support steps to help patients navigate the health system and tracks outcomes such as disease stage at diagnosis and survival. The work is based in Uganda and Kenya and builds on earlier efforts using this rapid approach for KS.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could lead to earlier diagnosis, faster start of HIV and cancer treatment, and improved survival for people with Kaposi sarcoma in the region.
How similar studies have gone: The team previously piloted rapid case ascertainment for Kaposi sarcoma in Uganda and Kenya and showed it can identify patients quickly, but it remains unclear whether this approach improves long-term survival.
Where this research is happening
-
University of California, San Francisco
San Francisco, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Byakwaga, Helen — University of California, San Francisco
- Study coordinator: Byakwaga, Helen
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Precision 3D Imaging to Monitor Kaposi Sarcoma (KS) with SkinScan3D
A new portable 3D imaging tool called SkinScan3D will help doctors measure KS skin lesions more accurately and quickly, especially in people living with HIV.
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Precision 3D Imaging to Track Kaposi Sarcoma (KS) with SkinScan3D
A new 3D imaging tool called SkinScan3D helps doctors monitor Kaposi sarcoma lesions more accurately and quickly, especially in settings with high KS burden like East Africa and in U.S. clinics with HIV patients.
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Kaposi Sarcoma care and research in Africa during ART era
A collaborative program to better understand and improve diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of Kaposi sarcoma for people living with HIV in Zambia and Tanzania.
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Kaposi Sarcoma in Africa: ART Era Research Network
A collaborative program in Africa and the United States will study Kaposi sarcoma in people living with HIV on ART to improve diagnosis, treatment, and prevention.
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Kaposi Sarcoma in Africa in the ART Era
This grant supports research to improve how Kaposi sarcoma is detected, treated, and understood in people living with HIV in Zambia and Tanzania during ART, with collaboration between African hospitals and a U.S. center.
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Faster detection and connection to care for people with HIV who develop Kaposi sarcoma in East Africa
This project aims to speed up finding people with HIV diagnosed with Kaposi sarcoma in East Africa and help them get linked to care more quickly.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.