Development of an LMIC-adapted Thermoablation Prototype and Treatment Protocol for Cervical Pre-Cancer

Summary:

Over 250,000 women die each year of cervical cancer in low-to-middle income countries (LMIC). Nearly all cases result from infections from the human papillomavirus (HPV) which develops into cervical precancer. In order to reduce the burden of cervical cancer, precancerous lesions (cervical intraepithelial neoplasia) must be treated. However, the standard treatment for these precancerous lesions is a gas-based cryotherapy (freeze therapy) and the gas tanks required are often expensive, difficult to obtain, and hard to transport. Thus, there is an unmet need for a point-of-care treatment that is accessible, portable, and inexpensive. An alternative procedure is thermoablation, which is the use of high heat to destroy tissue. Despite its use since the 1970s, there are no standardized guidelines for thermoablation. The purpose of this trial is to develop a patient-centered thermoablation protocol that is simple, safe, and effective. The PI is utilizing a thermoablative device adapted to LMIC which is lightweight, portable, and easy to operate.

Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03429582