Self-Collection Screening for Cervical Cancer Prevention

(Merck-3 Trial)

Age: < 65

Sex: Female

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: Indiana University

Disqualifiers: Inability to travel, others

No Placebo Group All trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

Approved in 5 Jurisdictions This treatment is already approved in other countries

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: Unknown

2500 Participants Needed

Trial Summary

What is the purpose of this trial?

Cervical cancer is caused by oncogenic, or "high-risk" (HR) human papillomavirus (HPV), and is the main cause of cancer-related death among Kenyan women. This malignancy is theoretically preventable through a combination of screening of adult women and treating those with cervical premalignancies and vaccination of children and adolescents against HPV infection. However, only 5% of Kenyan women are regularly screened, and only 14% have ever been screened, which in Kenya is done by a method known as Visual Inspection with Acetic Acid (VIA). Possible obstacles to current screening include long travel to clinics, high costs, poor sensitivity and specificity of VIA, the need for extensive training for VIA, variability among providers in their interpretation of VIA, lack of trained personnel, and others. In addition, while safe and effective HPV vaccines have been available for 15 years, very few (\<1%) Kenyan children and adolescents have been vaccinated. Obstacles to vaccination include high costs, poor delivery infrastructure, lack of education, long travel to clinics, and others. The investigators began a community-based program to develop a framework for eradication of cervical cancer by screening adult women and vaccinating female children. This program is becoming accepted in the Webuye region of Western Kenya, but there is still a great deal to learn. Going forward, this initiative will be known as the Kenya Mother-Daughter Cervical Cancer Eradication Program, or the Mother-Daughter Program (MDP) for short. The investigators propose a continuation of the MDP that will allow them to accumulate additional data needed to solidify the overall project and to answer additional questions as described below. To accomplish this goal the investigators will first enroll an additional 300 adult women to the program. This will increase the strength of the analysis of HR-HPV testing in detecting premalignant lesions of the cervix, especially in HIV-infected women. Second, the investigators will identify the positive and negative features of the MDP from the viewpoint of both the adult women and the girls enrolled in the program. Third, because anogenital warts (AGWs) may serve as a reservoir for HR-HPV, especially in women living with HIV/AIDS, the investigators will examine the prevalence, HPV type distribution, and treatment of these lesions among adult women participating in the MDP.

Will I have to stop taking my current medications?

The trial information does not specify whether you need to stop taking your current medications. It's best to discuss this with the trial coordinators or your doctor.

What data supports the effectiveness of the drug Gardasil 9 for cervical cancer prevention?

Gardasil 9, a vaccine that protects against nine types of HPV, has shown high effectiveness in preventing cervical cancer and related precancerous conditions. Clinical trials have demonstrated that it can prevent up to 90% of cervical cancer cases by targeting the most common cancer-causing HPV types. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Is the HPV vaccine, including Gardasil 9, generally safe for humans?

The HPV vaccine, including Gardasil 9, is generally considered safe for humans. Studies show a low rate of serious side effects, with most adverse events being mild and temporary. ^{5 6 7 8 9}

How is the HPV Vaccine (Gardasil 9) different from other treatments for cervical cancer prevention?

The HPV Vaccine, like Gardasil 9, is unique because it prevents cervical cancer by protecting against the human papillomavirus (HPV) infections that can lead to cancer, rather than treating the cancer itself. This vaccine is administered before exposure to the virus, making it a preventive measure, unlike other treatments that address the disease after it has developed. ^{10 11 12 13 14}

Eligibility Criteria

The trial is for Kenyan girls aged 9-14 ready to consent to HPV vaccination and can return for a second dose, and women aged 30-55 able to visit the Webuye Clinic for cervical screening.

Inclusion Criteria

I am a Kenyan girl aged 9 to 14.

I am willing to sign a consent form to be vaccinated.

I can come back for the second dose of the HPV vaccine.

Timeline

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Community meetings for enrollment and education

Community Meetings and Self-Collection

Women and girls attend community meetings for education and self-collection of vaginal swabs for HPV testing

Ongoing throughout the study

Multiple community meetings

HPV Vaccination

HPV vaccination is administered to girls aged 9-14 at community meetings

6-12 months for two doses

Community meetings for vaccination

VIA and Cervical Biopsy

Women undergo VIA and cervical biopsy if necessary at the Webuye Clinic

Ongoing throughout the study

Clinic visits for VIA and biopsy

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for recurrence of AGWs and cervical cancer screening

6 months for AGWs, 1-3 years for cervical cancer screening

Clinic visits for follow-up

Treatment Details

Interventions

• HPV Vaccine

Trial Overview This program tests self-collection of vaginal swabs in adult women and vaccinates female children against HPV. It aims to improve cervical cancer prevention by overcoming barriers like travel distance, costs, and lack of education.

Participant Groups

Group I: All women and girls eligible for the study Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

All women and girls eligible for the study. There is no control arm.

HPV Vaccine is already approved in United States, European Union, Canada, Switzerland for the following indications:

Approved in United States as Gardasil 9 for:

• Prevention of cervical, vulvar, vaginal, anal, oropharyngeal and other head and neck cancers caused by HPV types 16, 18, 31, 33, 45, 52, and 58
• Prevention of genital warts (condyloma acuminata) caused by HPV types 6 and 11

Approved in European Union as Gardasil 9 for:

• Prevention of cervical, vulvar, vaginal, anal, oropharyngeal and other head and neck cancers caused by HPV types 16, 18, 31, 33, 45, 52, and 58
• Prevention of genital warts (condyloma acuminata) caused by HPV types 6 and 11

Approved in Canada as Gardasil 9 for:

• Prevention of cervical, vulvar, vaginal, anal, oropharyngeal and other head and neck cancers caused by HPV types 16, 18, 31, 33, 45, 52, and 58
• Prevention of genital warts (condyloma acuminata) caused by HPV types 6 and 11

Approved in Switzerland as Gardasil 9 for:

• Prevention of cervical, vulvar, vaginal, anal, oropharyngeal and other head and neck cancers caused by HPV types 16, 18, 31, 33, 45, 52, and 58
• Prevention of genital warts (condyloma acuminata) caused by HPV types 6 and 11

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

Indiana University

Lead Sponsor

Trials

1,063

Recruited

1,182,000+

Academic Model Providing Access to Healthcare (AMPATH)

Collaborator

Trials

7

Recruited

10,900+

Findings from Research

All three HPV vaccines (bivalent, quadrivalent, and 9vHPV) show high efficacy in preventing infections from specific HPV types and associated high-grade cervical dysplasia in women who have not been previously exposed to HPV.

While the bivalent and quadrivalent vaccines have demonstrated early clinical effectiveness in reducing HPV 16 and 18 prevalence, the overall benefits of HPV vaccination in reducing cervical cancer are still largely theoretical, highlighting the need for large-scale studies to confirm long-term effectiveness.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Impact of 2-, 4- and 9-valent HPV vaccines on morbidity and mortality from cervical cancer. Luckett, R., Feldman, S.[2018]

The nonavalent HPV vaccine (9vHPV) has shown increased efficacy compared to the quadrivalent HPV vaccine (4vHPV), with an estimated 90% prevention rate for cervical cancer and up to 80% for precancerous cervical lesions in women aged 16-26 years.

The 9vHPV vaccine may provide broader protection against various HPV-related diseases in both males and females, but its future adoption will depend on factors like cost-effectiveness and ongoing safety monitoring.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Overview of the benefits and potential issues of the nonavalent HPV vaccine. Mariani, L., Preti, M., Cristoforoni, P., et al.[2017]

The nonavalent HPV vaccine (9vHPV) has shown over 90% efficacy in preventing cervical, vulvar, and vaginal precancers caused by HPV types 16, 18, and five additional cancer-causing types (31, 33, 45, 52, 58) in Phase III clinical studies.

9vHPV has the potential to prevent up to 93% of cervical cancer cases and has demonstrated lasting antibody responses for at least five years, indicating its long-term effectiveness in reducing the burden of HPV-related cancers.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Recombinant human papillomavirus nonavalent vaccine in the prevention of cancers caused by human papillomavirus. Toh, ZQ., Kosasih, J., Russell, FM., et al.[2020]

The 9-valent HPV vaccine (Gardasil 9®) significantly increases protection against cervical cancer by covering 9 oncogenic HPV types, raising potential protection from about 70% to 90%, based on clinical trials involving young women.

Clinical trials demonstrated that the 9vHPV vaccine has a comparable safety profile and immunogenicity to the original 4-valent vaccine, with a 2-dose regimen showing similar effectiveness in younger boys and girls compared to the standard 3-dose regimen for older women.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Expanded strain coverage for a highly successful public health tool: Prophylactic 9-valent human papillomavirus vaccine. Zhang, Z., Zhang, J., Xia, N., et al.[2019]

The nine-valent HPV vaccine, Gardasil9, significantly increases the efficacy against cervical cancer from 70% to 90% compared to the quadrivalent vaccine, covering a broader range of HPV types.

Gardasil9 also provides high efficacy (97%) against lesions associated with HPV types 31, 33, 45, 52, and 58, while maintaining similar effectiveness against HPV types 6, 11, 16, and 18 as the quadrivalent vaccine.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

[Nine-valent HPV vaccine - new generation of HPV vaccine]. Fait, T., Dvořák, V., Pilka, R.[2018]

A study involving 215,965 individuals who received the nine-valent HPV vaccine (HPV9) found no new safety concerns, confirming its established safety profile from previous research.

While some elevated event categories were noted, such as skin disorders and ill-defined conditions, most were either previously known or had other causes, and no deaths were linked to the vaccine.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Safety of 9-valent human papillomavirus vaccine administered to males and females in routine use. Hansen, J., Yee, A., Lewis, N., et al.[2023]

A comprehensive analysis of adverse events (AEs) reported to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) identified 3,112 AEs for Cervarix, 31,606 for Gardasil, and 6,872 for Gardasil 9, highlighting the need for ongoing monitoring of vaccine safety.

The study found 46 unique serious adverse events (SAEs) associated with the HPV vaccines, clustered around behavioral, neurological, immune, nervous, and reproductive systems, indicating that while the vaccines are effective, further research is needed to understand the cause-and-effect relationships of these AEs.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

OAE-based data mining and modeling analysis of adverse events associated with three licensed HPV vaccines. Zi, W., Yang, Q., Su, J., et al.[2022]

In a study involving 12,066 women aged 9 to 26 years who received the HPV vaccines Gardasil® and Cervarix® over three years, 61% reported experiencing mild and transient adverse events after the first dose.

The high rate of reported adverse events is attributed to the study's design, which encouraged participants to document all occurrences, highlighting the importance of ongoing surveillance for vaccine safety, especially for newly marketed vaccines.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

[Human papillomavirus vaccine register]. Spila-Alegiani, S., Da Cas, R., Giambi, C., et al.[2013]

In a study of 266,647 doses of Gardasil-9® administered in Puglia, Italy, only 22 adverse events following immunization (AEFIs) were reported, resulting in a low reporting rate of 8.25 per 100,000 doses, indicating a favorable safety profile for the vaccine.

Out of the 22 reported AEFIs, only 5 were classified as serious, with 2 leading to hospitalization; however, only 2 serious AEFIs were consistently associated with the vaccine, suggesting that the benefits of Gardasil-9® outweigh the risks.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Real-Life Safety Profile of the 9-Valent HPV Vaccine Based on Data from the Puglia Region of Southern Italy. Di Lorenzo, A., Berardi, P., Martinelli, A., et al.[2022]

A study involving 429 women aged 30 to 65 showed that mailing self-collection kits for HPV testing resulted in a 64% return rate, with 15% of samples testing positive for HPV, indicating a feasible method to increase screening among those overdue for Pap tests.

Women who tested positive for HPV were more likely to follow up with Pap tests (82%) compared to those who tested negative (51%), suggesting that self-testing can effectively encourage further screening and improve overall cervical health outcomes.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Mailed Human Papillomavirus Self-Collection With Papanicolaou Test Referral for Infrequently Screened Women in the United States. Smith, JS., Des Marais, AC., Deal, AM., et al.[2020]

Self-collection for HPV-based cervical screening can significantly increase participation rates among women, especially in regions where traditional screening methods are culturally challenging due to the requirement of a speculum examination.

Self-collected samples have been shown to have similar sensitivity for detecting cervical pre-cancers as those collected by healthcare practitioners, making it a viable and effective option for improving cervical cancer screening globally.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Self-Collection for Cervical Screening Programs: From Research to Reality. Hawkes, D., Keung, MHT., Huang, Y., et al.[2020]

References

1. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Impact of 2-, 4- and 9-valent HPV vaccines on morbidity and mortality from cervical cancer. [2018]

2. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Overview of the benefits and potential issues of the nonavalent HPV vaccine. [2017]

3. New Zealand pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Recombinant human papillomavirus nonavalent vaccine in the prevention of cancers caused by human papillomavirus. [2020]

4. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Expanded strain coverage for a highly successful public health tool: Prophylactic 9-valent human papillomavirus vaccine. [2019]

5. Czech Republic pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

[Nine-valent HPV vaccine - new generation of HPV vaccine]. [2018]

6. Netherlands pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Safety of 9-valent human papillomavirus vaccine administered to males and females in routine use. [2023]

7. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

OAE-based data mining and modeling analysis of adverse events associated with three licensed HPV vaccines. [2022]

8. Italy pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

[Human papillomavirus vaccine register]. [2013]

9. Switzerland pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Real-Life Safety Profile of the 9-Valent HPV Vaccine Based on Data from the Puglia Region of Southern Italy. [2022]

10. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Self-Collection for Primary HPV Testing: Perspectives on Implementation From Federally Qualified Health Centers. [2023]

11. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Acceptability and ease of use of mailed HPV self-collection among infrequently screened women in North Carolina. [2019]

12. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Preference for Human Papillomavirus Self-Collection and Papanicolaou: Survey of Underscreened Women in North Carolina. [2023]

13. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Mailed Human Papillomavirus Self-Collection With Papanicolaou Test Referral for Infrequently Screened Women in the United States. [2020]

14. Switzerland pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Self-Collection for Cervical Screening Programs: From Research to Reality. [2020]