Abstract B179: Implementation of the "One-Stop Katsina" integrated cancer screening paradigm: Addressing health disparities in Sub-Saharan Africa

Abstract

Cervical cancer is the leading cause of cancer death among women in Katsina State, located in Nigeria’s North-West region. To mitigate health disparities in this resource-limited setting, the "One-Stop Katsina" initiative was developed as an agile, single-visit "screen-and-treat" clinical and research program for breast and cervical cancer. The initiative sought to establish equitable, cost-free access to integrated cervical and breast cancer screenings across multiple areas in Katsina State; downstage clinical presentation through early detection of precancerous lesions and palpable abnormalities; conduct a translational research program; and systematically characterize regional risk factors, baseline behavioral awareness, and preventive oncological service utilization to evaluate the efficacy of single-visit screening models in resource-limited environments. Dissemination of the initiative leverage What’s App flyers, radio and television. The launch was held at the Governor House attended by community leaders and live streamed on social media. The Office of the First Lady sponsored diagnostic evaluation and treatments of women with screen-positive findings, ensuring timely access to definitive care and reducing financial barriers to follow-up. Partners included: Federal Teaching Hospital Katsina, Medical Women's Association Katsina, Office of the First Lady of Katsina State, Katsina State Ministry of Health, Ministry of Women Affairs, Executive Secretary of the State Primary Health Care Development Agency, University of Miami Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center and Center for Global Black Studies, and research consortia. There were 100 professional volunteers represented by a multidisciplinary workforce comprising physicians, medical laboratory scientists, nurses, midwives, pharmacists and other allied health professionals. Over 3,500 women attended community-based pre-screening education sessions to enhance cervical and breast cancer awareness, provide preventive health education, and facilitate interactive question-and-answer sessions. Of these, 595 women subsequently underwent comprehensive cervical and breast cancer screening. Eighty-three percent (83.1%) had never previously undergone cervical cancer screening, highlighting a substantial unmet need for preventive oncology services. Tobacco exposure was minimal; 82% reported never smoking while 18% reported vaginal smoking, a traditional intravaginal practice that may warrant further investigation as a potential women’s health exposure. Clinical assessment identified women with suspicious and obvious cervical lesions, and masses, were triaged for immediate colposcopic evaluations. This multi-sector partnership demonstrated the feasibility of a scalable, integrated single-visit cancer prevention model in a resource-limited setting. The execution of One-Stop Katsina underscores that single-visit, multi-sectoral health initiatives are highly viable and needed to bridge screening gaps, downstage cancer burdens in underserved populations. Fatima Abubakar. Rasheed, Asma'u Usman, Aisha Abdurrahman, Ahmad Hassan, Farouk Umar, Zaharaddeen Wada, Jamilah Adamu, Zulaihat Dikko Radda, Abdulfatah M. Lawal, Halimat Siyaka Omengwu, Maryam Yusuf, Sadiya Nasir, Hurera Umar, Yusuf Shuaibu, Miyassaratu Iliyasu, Basira Ashafa, Nafisa Abdussamad, Karima Abdullahi, Abubakar Dahiru, Adam Shuaib, Amina Binta Ibrahim-Saad, Francis Dalyop, Asiya Abdulfattah, Halimatu Ismail, Johnathon Penso, Sandy St Hilaire, Ivana Saborit, Lauren Ashley Smith, Ayodele Omotoso, Matthew Schlumbrecht, Francisco Robles, Patricia Jeudin, Lisa Flowers, Bala Audu, Sophia George. Implementation of the "One-Stop Katsina" integrated cancer screening paradigm: Addressing health disparities in Sub-Saharan Africa [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 19th AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities; 2026 Oct 18-21; Atlanta, GA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2026;35(10 Suppl):Abstract nr B179.