One-stop clinic in Lusaka for HIV, cervical, and breast cancer

In Zambia, breast and cervical cancer deaths represent more than 50% of cancer mortality in females. Most of the underlying causes are associated with delays in symptom recognition, reduced screening, and late diagnosis.

A team of breast surgeons in Zambia is implementing a one-stop clinic for HIV and Women’s Cancers that provides clinical breast examination, breast ultrasound, ultrasound-guided breast biopsy, cervical cancer screening using HPV-based self-testing, and HIV testing, all on the same day, to reduce delays in the diagnosis and treatment of HIV and neoplasms of the breast and cervix. By implementing breast health services in one single visit at the primary health care level, some of the diagnostic delays are minimized.

The project - led by Drs. Mutumba Songiso and Jabulani Munalula - builds upon Zambia’s first breast care specialty clinic integrated in a district hospital within Lusaka - Matero Breast Care Specialty Clinic. Drs. Songiso and Munalula created the clinic to downstage breast cancer, reducing the delays between the time of presentation, diagnosis and the start of treatment in symptomatic women.

Dr Cabanes, CEO at Canswers Project, is advising in the implementation of the pilot study of the one-stop clinic for HIV and Women’s Cancers.

Read more:

• Minimizing Delays in the Breast Cancer Pathway by Integrating Breast Specialty Care Services at the Primary Health Care Level in Zambia.

• Leverage of an Existing Cervical Cancer Prevention Service Platform to Initiate Breast Cancer Control Services in Zambia: Experiences and Early Outcomes.

• Challenges, Opportunities, and Priorities for Advancing Breast Cancer Control in Zambia: A Consultative Meeting on Breast Cancer Control.