Future plans are to continue to explore ways to serve the needs of underserved women at high risk for cervical cancer blended with research programs, but in addition to expand our work to include other primary disease sites beyond the uterine cervix and gynecological tumors.

CURRENT PROJECTS AND FUTURE PLANS:

• MECCS II – The Mexican Cervical Cancer Screening Study II is a collaboration with the Ministry of Health of the State of Michoacán. Taking place in Patzcuaro and Zitacuraro, the project is studying:
  • the new POI/NIH self-sampler
  • the new Gen-Probe HPV test both from a self-test and a direct (physician obtained) sample
  • primary computer assisted liquid based cytology compared to primary HPV screening.
• SHENCCSAT I – The Shenzhen Cervical Cancer Screening Trial I, taking place in the city of Shenzhen China, involves 2100 women and compares HC-II direct sampling to the new Gen-Probe HPV assay.
• SHENCCAST II – Will start in April 2009, and will screen 10,000 women from Guangdong Province. This study (with funding from Hologic Inc., the NIH, POI, and the Shenzhen Female Doctors Association) is studying:
  • phase III trial of the new POI/NIH self-sampler
  • the new TWT Invader HPV assay from Hologic Inc., both from a self-sample and a direct sample
  • primary computer assisted liquid based cytology compared to primary HPV screening.
• East Cleveland Project – Investigation of the feasibility of primary self-sampling as a way to reach the unscreened in a high-risk inner-city minority population. This collaboration between the Cleveland Clinic Huron Hospital and Preventive Oncology International Inc. will provide individuals in the East Cleveland community with medical care while furthering research in the area of cancer prevention. This model will be based on the model we have successfully used in many of our international studies. Initially, this effort will have a gynecologic oncology focus because that is our expertise, with the eventual expansion of the research into other areas of preventive oncology. Everyone wins, the poor receive care, and the more fortunate benefit from the information obtained.
• Primary screening for Lung Cancer using a plain chest x-ray with a Computer Assisted Diagnostic Algorithm (CAD program) – Development phase of a collaboration between the Cleveland Clinic and Peking University Shenzhen Hospital.
• Investigations as to why women in Mexico choose to participate in Cervical Cancer Screening opportunities a collaboration between POI and Grounds for Health (an organization providing preventive healthcare to women in coffee growing regions of the world.)
• Continuing studies of Optical Coherence Tomography and its application to underserved regions as an optical biopsy technique to allow point of care diagnosis and treatment. – Grants submitted.

The opportunity for Preventive Oncology International to do this research in collaboration with remarkable international physicians and scientists is indeed a gift. Young women with young families should live normal lives because our team detects their cancers and high-grade pre-cancers. They have come from their mountain villages because we were there doing this work. We look forward to our work spawning innovative screening solutions, based on our established research structure. As we expand our work in China, Mexico and move into other underserved areas, the integration of basic science investigations should greatly enhance our work.