Strategies to Close the Gap From Cervical Cancer Diagnosis to Treatment in Botswana

July 21, 2026 updated by: Katharine Rendle, Abramson Cancer Center at Penn Medicine

Thibang Diphatlha: Testing Adaptive Strategies to Close the Gap From Cervical Cancer Diagnosis to Treatment in Botswana

Investigators will test the effectiveness of adaptive strategies on timely adoption of cervical cancer treatment in Botswana using a pragmatic trial design.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Recruiting

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Detailed Description

Investigators will test the effectiveness of adaptive strategies on timely adoption of cervical cancer treatment in Botswana using a hybrid (type III) and pragmatic Sequential Multiple Assignment Randomized Trial (SMART) design. The adaptive strategies are designed to target patient- and system-level determinants identified in preliminary data, including delayed communication of results, individual and structural barriers to accessing treatment, and suboptimal care coordination between referring and cancer treatment clinics. The strategies draw upon key principles in behavioral economics and are supported by systematic evidence of the effectiveness of nudge strategies in preventive, HIV, and cancer care. The overarching rationale for the study is that enhancing coordination, communication, and navigation through centralized outreach and nudge strategies will increase timely treatment adoption and be scalable and sustainable in the long-term.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Estimated)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
610

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Contact

The name and contact information for the person who can answer enrollment questions for a clinical study. Each location where the study is being conducted may also have a specific contact, who may be better able to answer those questions.

Study Contact Backup

Study Locations

  • Botswana
  • United States
    • Pennsylvania
      • Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, 19104
        • Active, not recruiting
        • University of Pennsylvania

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Adult
  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

Patients will be eligible if they:

  1. are biological females
  2. are aged 18 or older
  3. have pathology-confirmed invasive cervical cancer diagnosis
  4. have pathology results evaluated at National Health Laboratory in Botswana
  5. are citizens of Botswana
  6. have no prior history of invasive cervical cancer

Exclusion Criteria:

Patients will be excluded if they:

  1. are biological males or otherwise born without a cervix
  2. are below the age of 18 due to the rarity of cervical cancer in this population
  3. do not meet study inclusion criteria

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Health Services Research
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Sequential Assignment
  • Masking: Single

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Experimental: Stage 1 Clinic Outreach + Stage 2 Low Touch
All participants receive direct clinic outreach to communicate readiness of results (stage 1). Participants who do not attend the clinic by 30 days (non-responders) will receive asynchronous text message reminders using framed messaging (stage 2).
Behavioral: Clinic Outreach
A member of the pathology team will contact the referring clinic to communicate the readiness of results.
Behavioral: Low-Touch Strategy
Patient will be sent asynchronous text messaging reminders related to the importance of timely care using framed messaging.
Experimental: Stage 1 Clinic Outreach + Stage 2 High Touch
All participants receive direct clinic outreach to communicate readiness of results (stage 1). Participants who do not attend the clinic by 30 days (non-responders) will receive asynchronous text message reminders using framed messaging in combination with synchronous patient navigation (stage 2).
Behavioral: Clinic Outreach
A member of the pathology team will contact the referring clinic to communicate the readiness of results.
Behavioral: High-Touch Strategy
Patient will be sent asynchronous text messaging reminders related to the importance of timely care using framed messaging in combination with synchronous telephone-based patient navigation.
Experimental: Stage 1 Enhanced Outreach + Stage 2 Low-Touch
All participants receive direct clinic outreach plus enhanced outreach to communicate readiness of results (stage 1). Participants who do not attend the clinic by 30 days (non-responders) will receive asynchronous text message reminders using framed messaging (stage 2).
Behavioral: Low-Touch Strategy
Patient will be sent asynchronous text messaging reminders related to the importance of timely care using framed messaging.
Behavioral: Enhanced Outreach
A member of the pathology team will contact both the referring clinic and the patient directly to communicate the readiness of results.
Experimental: Stage 1 Enhanced Outreach + Stage 2 High-Touch
All participants receive direct clinic outreach plus enhanced outreach to communicate readiness of results (stage 1). Participants who do not attend the clinic by 30 days (non-responders) will receive asynchronous text message reminders using framed messaging in combination with synchronous patient navigation.
Behavioral: High-Touch Strategy
Patient will be sent asynchronous text messaging reminders related to the importance of timely care using framed messaging in combination with synchronous telephone-based patient navigation.
Behavioral: Enhanced Outreach
A member of the pathology team will contact both the referring clinic and the patient directly to communicate the readiness of results.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Adoption
Time Frame: Within 90 days of randomization
Defined as the initiation of cervical cancer treatment within 90 days of randomization.
Within 90 days of randomization

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Fidelity
Time Frame: 12 months after randomization
Defined as completion of evidence-based cancer treatment according to international guidelines and measured using medical record data.
12 months after randomization
Reach: First Appointment
Time Frame: 12 months after randomization
Defined by the proportion of patients who complete an initial treatment visit divided by those randomized
12 months after randomization
Reach: First Stage
Time Frame: 12 months after randomization
Defined by the proportion of patients who complete an enhanced outreach phone call divided by those contacted.
12 months after randomization
Reach: Second Stage
Time Frame: 12 months after randomization
Defined by the proportion of patients who complete a patient navigation phone call (high touch strategy) divided by those contacted.
12 months after randomization
Reach: Results
Time Frame: 12 months after randomization
Defined by the proportion of patients with confirmation of results received divided by those randomized.
12 months after randomization

Other Outcome Measures

Other Outcome Measures

For clinical trials, a planned measurement described in the protocol that is used to determine the effect of an intervention/treatment on participants. For observational studies, a measurement or observation that is used to describe patterns of diseases or traits, or associations with exposures, risk factors, or treatment. Types of outcome measures include primary outcome measure and secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Clinical Outcomes: Survival
Time Frame: 12 months after randomization
Defined as overall survival at one year after randomization measured using medical record data.
12 months after randomization
Clinical Outcomes: Treatment
Time Frame: 12 months after randomization
Defined by the stage at diagnosis, type of cancer treatment the patient received (e.g., chemoradiation, surgery) measured using medical record data.
12 months after randomization

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
Abramson Cancer Center at Penn Medicine

Collaborators

Collaborators

An organization other than the sponsor that provides support for a clinical study. This support may include activities related to funding, design, implementation, data analysis, or reporting.
National Cancer Institute (NCI)
University of Botswana

Investigators

Investigators

A researcher involved in a clinical study. Related terms include site principal investigator, site sub-investigator, study chair, study director, and study principal investigator.
  • Principal Investigator: Katharine Rendle, PhD,MSW,MPH, University of Pennsylvania
  • Principal Investigator: Surbhi Grover, MD, MPH, University of Pennsylvania

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

General Publications

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
September 1, 2023

Primary Completion (Estimated)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
December 31, 2026

Study Completion (Estimated)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
August 31, 2027

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
July 11, 2023

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
July 11, 2023

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
July 19, 2023

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
July 22, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
July 21, 2026

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
July 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • UPCC 23822
  • U01CA275032-01 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract)

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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