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Background: In July 2022, self‐collection became universally available as part of Australia's National Cervical Screening Program. This change aims to address screening inequities experienced among underscreened populations, including women of Indian descent. This study explored experiences of cervical screening, alongside the acceptability of self‐collection, among women of Indian descent living in Victoria, Australia. We also aimed to articulate the informational needs to promote self‐collection among this population. Methods: Five focus group discussions with 39 women living in Victoria were conducted in English (n = 3) and Punjabi (n = 2). Transcripts were thematically analysed, as informed by the Theoretical Framework of Acceptability. Results: Women were motivated by the choice to self‐collect, perceiving the ability to maintain modesty and greater autonomy as key enablers. Healthcare practitioners were seen as central in supporting patient‐centred models of care. Perceived barriers to self‐collection included concerns around its accuracy and women's confidence in collecting their own sample. Widespread dissemination of culturally tailored promotion strategies communicating concepts such as 'privacy' and 'accuracy' were suggested by women to promote self‐collection. Conclusion: Self‐collection was highly acceptable among women of Indian descent, particularly when assured of its accuracy, and sociocultural norms and previous screening experiences are considered. This study highlights the huge potential that self‐collection can play in increasing equity in Australia's cervical screening programme. Patient or Public Contribution: Members of the public were involved in focus group discussions. Findings were summarised and disseminated via a poster. A bicultural worker was involved in all stages of the research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Indian Council of Medical Research-National Institute of Cancer Prevention and Research (ICMR-NICPR) has been conducting online cancer screening training certificate courses since 2017. Thereafter, multiple cohorts have been trained successfully in cancer screening using the Extensions for Community Healthcare Outcomes (ECHO) platform. A 14-week course was designed for various cadres of healthcare professionals (HCP), through which they were trained in cancer screening and their roles and responsibilities in implementing the population-based cancer screening, as per the operational framework released by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. Then, a contact program was held to upskill the participants in cancer screening techniques. Eight cohorts have been successfully trained using the hybrid model of online training and hands-on training. Cancer screening conducted utilizing the hybrid model, consisting of the online ECHO model, followed by hands-on training is a suitable training model to train large cohorts, such as the one in populous countries like India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cumulatively, breast, cervical, ovarian, and uterine cancer account for more than 70% of cancers in women in India. Distinct differences in the clinical presentation of women with cancer suggest underlying differences in cancer biology and genetics. The peak age of onset of breast and ovarian cancer appears to be a decade earlier in India (age 45-50 years) than in high-income countries (age >60 years). Understanding these differences through research to develop diagnosis, screening, prevention, and treatment frameworks that ar e specific to the Indian population are critical and essential to improving women's health in India. Since the sequencing of the human genome in 2001, applications of advanced technologies, such as massively parallel sequencing, have transformed the understanding of the genetic and environmental drivers of cancer. How can advanced technologies be harnessed to provide health-care solutions at a scale and to a budget suitable for a country of 1·2 billion people? What research programmes are necessary to answer questions specific to India, and to build capacity for innovative solutions using these technologies? In order to answer these questions, we convened a workshop with key stakeholders to address these issues. In this Series paper, we highlight challenges in tackling the growing cancer burden in India, discuss ongoing genomics research and developments in infrastructure, and suggest key priorities for future research in cancer in India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The reductions in cancer morbidity and mortality afforded by population-based cancer screening programmes have led many low-income and middle-income countries to consider the implementation of national screening programmes in the public sector. Screening at the population level, when planned and organised, can greatly benefit the population, whilst disorganised screening can increase costs and reduce benefits. The International Cancer Screening Network (ICSN) was created to share lessons, experience, and evidence regarding cancer screening in countries with organised screening programmes. Organised screening programmes provide screening to an identifiable target population and use multidisciplinary delivery teams, coordinated clinical oversight committees, and regular review by a multidisciplinary evaluation board to maximise benefit to the target population. In this Series paper, we report outcomes of the first regional consultation of the ICSN held in Agartala, India (Sept 5-7, 2016), which included discussions from cancer screening programmes from Denmark, the Netherlands, USA, and Bangladesh. We outline six essential elements of population-based cancer screening programmes, and share recommendations from the meeting that policy makers might want to consider before implementation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cervical cancer is the leading cause of cancer mortality in India, accounting for 17% of all cancer deaths among women aged 30 to 69 years. At current incidence rates, the annual burden of new cases in India is projected to increase to 225,000 by 2025, but there are few large-scale, organized cervical cancer prevention programs in the country. We conducted a review of the cervical cancer prevention research literature and programmatic experiences in India to summarize the current state of knowledge and practices and recommend research priorities to address the gap in services. We found that research and programs in India have demonstrated the feasibility and acceptability of cervical cancer prevention efforts and that screening strategies requiring minimal additional human resources and laboratory infrastructure can reduce morbidity and mortality. However, additional evidence generated through implementation science research is needed to ensure that cervical cancer prevention efforts have the desired impact and are cost-effective. Specifically, implementation science research is needed to understand individual- and community-level barriers to screening and diagnostic and treatment services; to improve health care worker performance; to strengthen links among screening, diagnosis, and treatment; and to determine optimal program design, outcomes, and costs. With a quarter of the global burden of cervical cancer in India, there is no better time than now to translate research findings to practice. Implementation science can help ensure that investments in cervical cancer prevention and control result in the greatest impact. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]