C2001P-CS6: Testing the Feasibility of Different HPV Screening and Care Strategies for Women Living With HIV

November 3, 2026 updated by: Timothy Wilkin, University of California, San Diego

C2001P-CS6 CASCADE: A Feasibility Study of HPV Screening and Management Strategies Utilizing Extended Molecular HPV DNA Genotyping and HPV Viral Load in Women Living With HIV

The overall goal of this study is to inform the design and establish feasibility for a future clinical trial to determine the optimal management of women living with HIV (WLWH) with high-risk human papillomavirus (hrHPV) detected on HPV-based cervical cancer screening. WLWH have a higher diversity of anogenital HPV types causing cervical high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (hHSIL) and invasive cancer compared to women without HIV. While there is consensus that women testing positive for HPV 16 and/or 18 should be immediately managed and treated, optimal management strategies for women with other hrHPV types (non-16/18) are not well defined.

This prospective cohort study will enroll WLWH undergoing cervical cancer screening using primary HPV testing. Women will self-collect vaginal specimens for hrHPV testing using the Abbott Alinity m HPV assay, which provides extended HPV genotyping and a proxy for HPV viral load based on cycle threshold (CT) values. Women with hrHPV detected will return for further evaluation and treatment as indicated. A subset of women will return at Month 6 for repeat evaluation.

The study will evaluate feasibility for a future trial by examining recruitment, retention, return for evaluation, and completion of treatment. It will also explore management strategies for women with non-16/18 hrHPV based on extended genotyping and HPV viral load compared to standard of care approaches using visual inspection with acetic acid (VIA).

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.

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.
750

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 Locations

  • Kenya
      • Nairobi, Kenya
        • Recruiting
        • Kenya Medical Research Institute
        • Contact:
        • Principal Investigator:
          • Nelly Mugo, MBChB, MMed, MPH
        • Sub-Investigator:
          • Kenneth Ngure, PhD, MPH, MSc

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

25 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Genders Eligible for Study

Female

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • HIV-1 infection, as documented by:

    1. any FDA-approved, licensed HIV rapid test performed in conjunction with screening (oral immunoblot, ELISA test kit, and confirmed by Western blot or other approved test), OR
    2. a physician's written record that documents HIV infection with supporting information on the participant's relevant medical history and/or current management of HIV infection, OR
    3. documentation of a prescription of an approved antiretroviral regimen by either possession of pill bottles or packages with prescriber's name or ARVs dispensed from an HIV clinical treatment program with participant identifiers affixed to the bottles or packages.

  • Aged 25 or older.

  • Ability to understand and the willingness to sign a written informed consent document by the participant or by the legal representative(s) of the participant.

  • Have an intact cervix.

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Current symptoms or concern for cervical cancer.
  • History of cervical, vulvar, vaginal, perianal, anal cancer or oral cancer or current symptoms of cervical, vulvar, vaginal, perianal, anal cancer or oral cancer.
  • Have undergone cervical hHSIL treatment in the past year.
  • Have a history of hysterectomy with removal of the cervix.
  • Uncontrolled intercurrent illness including, but not limited to, ongoing or active infection (including opportunistic infections of AIDS and/or genitourinary infections), symptomatic congestive heart failure, unstable angina pectoris, cardiac arrhythmia, or psychiatric illness/social situations that would limit compliance with study requirements.
  • Any other medical condition or social situation that would put the participant, the study staff, or the study outcomes at risk, as determined by the site investigators.

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: Treatment
  • Allocation: N/A
  • Interventional Model: Single Group Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

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: Primary HPV screen with management based on HPV types and VIA status

All women will self-collect a vaginal specimen for primary HPV testing to be evaluated on the Abbott Alinity m platform. WLWH who test hrHPV negative will exit the study. Women with hrHPV will return for speculum examination, cervical swab collection, VIA, and histology. Women with HPV 16/18 will undergo immediate treatment. Women with non-16/18 hrHPV will undergo immediate treatment only if cervical lesions are seen on VIA. Women who are not treated, but subsequently found to have cervical HSIL on histology, will return for cervical treatment. The choice of treatment modality (TA vs. LEEP/LLETZ) will be determined by the extent of cervical lesions seen on VIA. Women with extensive lesions will undergo LEEP/LLETZ treatment. All women who are enrolled (and therefore hrHPV positive) in the early months of the study will be asked to return for a visit 4-6 months later for repeat HPV testing and cervical histology.
Diagnostic test: HPV DNA Testing (Abbott Alinity m HPV Assay)

Women will self-collect a vaginal specimen for primary HPV testing to be evaluated on the Abbott Alinity m platform. The Alinity m HR HPV assay is a qualitative, real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay for the detection of high-risk HPV DNA. The assay detects 14 hrHPV genotypes by targeting the conserved L1 region of HPV DNA and provides individual or group-level genotyping results, including separate readouts for HPV 16, HPV 18, and HPV 45, and grouped detection of other high-risk types. The assay also provides a proxy for HPV viral load as measured by the cycle threshold (CT) value for the type- or group-specific readout.

Procedure: Visual Inspection with Acetic Acid

Participants with hrHPV detected will undergo visual inspection with acetic acid (VIA) during a speculum examination. Standard acetic acid (3-5%) is applied to the cervix, and the provider will assess for the presence of cervical lesions, determine suitability for ablative treatment, and characterize the transformation zone (TZ1, TZ2, or TZ3). VIA findings will be used to guide participant management and treatment decisions.

Other Names:
  • VIA
Procedure: Cervical Histology (Biopsy Procedures)

Cervical histology specimens will be obtained from participants with hrHPV detected. Biopsies may include lesion-directed cervical punch biopsies, endo- and ectocervical soft-brush biopsies, or endocervical curettage (ECC). At least two biopsies will be obtained even if no lesions are seen. For participants undergoing LEEP/LLETZ, histology will be obtained through the excisional procedure. Cervical histology will be processed locally and interpreted according to the lower anogenital squamous terminology (LAST), including p16 testing where available to confirm morphologic-appearing CIN 2.

Procedure: Cervical Treatment (Thermal Ablation or LEEP/LLETZ)

Women with HPV 16 and/or 18 will undergo immediate treatment. Women with non-16/18 hrHPV will undergo immediate treatment if cervical lesions are seen on VIA. Women who are not treated but are subsequently found to have cervical high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (hHSIL) on histology will return for cervical treatment. Treatment modality will be determined based on the extent of cervical lesions, with thermal ablation (TA) used for lesions appropriate for ablative therapy and LEEP/LLETZ used for more extensive lesions.

Other Names:
  • LEEP
  • Thermal Ablation
  • LEEP/LLETZ
  • LLETZ

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
Proportion of Potentially Eligible Participants Providing Informed Consent
Time Frame: Screening.

Number of participants providing informed consent divided by the number approached for consent.
Screening.
Time to Clinic Receipt of HPV Test Results
Time Frame: From sample collection at enrollment to clinic receipt of HPV test results.

Number of days from vaginal sample collection to clinic receipt of HPV test results.
From sample collection at enrollment to clinic receipt of HPV test results.
Percentage of Participants Receiving HPV Test Results
Time Frame: Within 6 months of screening.

Percentage of participants who provided a vaginal sample and received their HPV test results.
Within 6 months of screening.
Proportion of Participants Returning for Baseline Evaluation
Time Frame: From enrollment through baseline.

Number of participants returning for the baseline evaluation divided by the total number who provided a vaginal self-sample at enrollment.
From enrollment through baseline.
Proportion of Participants Retained for the Month 6 Visit
Time Frame: From baseline through Month 6.

Number of participants returning for the Month 6 visit divided by the number who completed the baseline visit more than 6 months before the end of the study.
From baseline through Month 6.
Proportion of Participants With Cervical HSIL Classified for Treatment
Time Frame: From baseline through Month 6.

Proportion of participants with hrHPV and histologically-confirmed cervical high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (HSIL) classified for treatment under each strategy: visual inspection with acetic acid (VIA), genotype restriction, and genotype restriction plus HPV viral load. The denominator includes estimated HSIL cases among participants who did not return for baseline evaluation. Results are reported separately for each strategy.
From baseline through Month 6.

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
hrHPV Prevalence and Genotype Distribution
Time Frame: Screening.

Proportion of participants with valid HPV results who test positive for any hrHPV, each Abbott Alinity m genotype channel, multiple channels, or hrHPV without HPV 16/18. Results are reported overall and by clinical enrollment unit.
Screening.
Alternative Abbott Alinity m CT Cutoffs for Detection of Cervical HSIL
Time Frame: Enrollment HPV testing and baseline cervical histology.

Alternative Abbott Alinity m cycle threshold (CT) cutoffs, in PCR cycles, associated with cervical HSIL. Cutoffs are derived using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis and reported by non-16/18 hrHPV channel. Central histology review is used when available.
Enrollment HPV testing and baseline cervical histology.
Sensitivity of Alternative Abbott Alinity m CT Cutoffs for Cervical HSIL
Time Frame: Enrollment HPV testing and baseline cervical histology.

Proportion of participants with cervical HSIL classified as positive using alternative CT cutoffs, reported by non-16/18 hrHPV channel among participants positive for that channel with interpretable histology.
Enrollment HPV testing and baseline cervical histology.
Specificity of Alternative Abbott Alinity m CT Cutoffs for Cervical HSIL
Time Frame: Enrollment HPV testing and baseline cervical histology.

Proportion of participants without cervical HSIL classified as negative using alternative CT cutoffs, reported by non-16/18 hrHPV channel among participants positive for that channel with interpretable histology.
Enrollment HPV testing and baseline cervical histology.
Proportion of Participants With Invasive Cervical Cancer or CIN 3 Classified for No Treatment Under Each Management Strategy
Time Frame: From baseline through Month 6.

Number of participants with CIN 3 or invasive cervical cancer classified for no treatment under each strategy divided by the total number with hrHPV. Strategies include VIA, genotype restriction, and genotype restriction plus HPV viral load. Estimates account for participants who did not return for baseline evaluation.
From baseline through Month 6.

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.
University of California, San Diego

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 North Carolina, Chapel Hill
H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute
Kenya Medical Research Institute
Frontier Science & Technology Research Foundation, Inc.
LVCT Health

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.
  • Study Chair: Timothy J Wilkin, MD, MPH, University of California, San Diego

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.
October 16, 2026

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, 2027

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.
May 31, 2028

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).
November 3, 2026

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.
November 3, 2026

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.
November 9, 2026

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.
November 9, 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.
November 3, 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.
November 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

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.
  • 813523
  • U24CA275417 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract)
  • UG1CA275414 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract)
  • UG1CA285132 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract)
  • C2001P-CS6 (Other Identifier: National Cancer Institute)

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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