Improving Pre-Cancerous Lesion Treatment Among HIV-Positive Women in Kenya

​Principal Investigator: Dr. Jackton Omoto

Disease: Cervical Intraepithelial Neoplasia

Research Description: The leading cause of cancer death in LMIC-based women living with HIV is cervical cancer. These women have a much higher rate of cervical cancer due to precancerous cervical lesions recurrence, partly due to higher persistence of human papillomavirus (HPV) infection following standard thermal ablation treatment. Accessible and affordable interventions for precancerous lesions are urgently needed to prevent progression to cervical cancer. This ongoing, randomized, placebo-controlled trial is studying artesunate, approved for malaria, as a self-administered topical treatment added to standard of care to speed clearance of HPV and reduce lesion recurrence, leading to improved cervical cancer outcomes in these patients in Kenya and elsewhere.

Funding Partners: Coefficient Giving

Initial CWR Funding Role: Supplemental