Partners for Cancer Care and Prevention

2065 Background: Despite being potentially curable with early detection and timely treatment, breast (BC) and cervical cancers (CC) remain leading causes of death for Colombian women. Lack of cancer screening education, tedious administrative processes, and geographical limitations hinder early cancer detection. Today, technological tools permeate all levels of society and could gather data for user risk stratification, deliver clear and customized information, and help with care coordination, tracking, and addressing communication, transportation, and financial barriers. We aimed to assess the effectiveness of a free mobile application (mApp) to reach women, understand misconceptions about cancer screening, identify users at risk for BC and CC, and coordinate screening tests in Cali, Colombia. Methods: The mApp, Ámate, was developed over 4 months and advertised to women (≥14 years) in waiting rooms of 4 healthcare facilities in Cali, Colombia for 23 months. Ámate used educational, evaluative, and risk factor questions followed by brief explanations to assess the population’s knowledge, educate users on BC and CC, and identify users in need of BC and/or CC screenings. Correct answers yielded points redeemable for cellular data. Women who required screening were subsequently navigated to a healthcare provider and enrolled in the national cancer program. Results: From August 2017-August 2019, 1,043 women from Cali downloaded Ámate and answered all questions. Misconceptions about BC included beliefs that BC can be prevented (87%), obesity does not increase the risk of BC (49%), deodorant causes BC (17%), and only women with a relative with BC can get BC (16%). For CC, misconceptions included that pap smears should not be performed while sexually active (64%), vaginal pain is an early sign of CC (44%), and only women contract HPV (33%). Overall, 31.5% (329) were identified as at-risk and needed a mammogram and/or pap smear. So far, 30% (98) were successfully navigated and completed their recommended screening test(s). Barriers to enrollment in these programs included patient unwillingness, using fake contact information, limited available appointments, and denied access due to healthcare coverage. Conclusions: Ámate is an accessible tool that identifies women at-risk for breast and cervical cancer and detects barriers to early cancer detection. Administrative obstacles exist and must be addressed to improve early cancer detection/screening. Ámate is currently being tested in other areas of Colombia and may be useful in other underserved countries.

Purpose Breast and cervical cancers are leading causes of mortality in Latin America. Although Colombia has an integrated health system that provides universal coverage, approximately 70% of patients with cancer are diagnosed in a late stage. The government has a 10-year cancer control plan that is focused on prevention, early detection, and treatment; however, many barriers have hindered its implementation. Since 2012, Partners for Cancer Care and Prevention has worked to decrease the burden of breast and cervical cancer by mitigating the obstacles women face during their cancer journeys. Methods Through community outreach and meetings with medical personnel, hospital directors, and government officers, we identified some of the barriers—a deficit of trained personnel and physicians, limited centers and scarcity of equipment for early diagnosis, and a fragmented health system with poor continuity of care. Our proposal included monthly teleconferences, a twice-a-year on-site training and quality control program, improving the equipment for early diagnosis in easily accessible centers for patients, creating a patient navigation program and a mobile application (Amate), and unifying the system by directing patients for diagnosis to level 1 and 2 hospitals with rapid referral for treatment in level 3. Results From 2012 to 2016, we have trained 462 health professionals in the screening, diagnosis, and treatment of breast and cervical cancers and equipped level 1 and 2 hospitals for cancer diagnosis by donating a mammography machine and two video colposcopes, all of which has yielded 3,036 mammograms and 1,500 uterocervical cytologies annually. In addition, Amate is able to provide basic teaching and rapid referral for screening. Thus far, 2,583 women have benefited from the program. This has integrated the health system and shortened wait times. After 4 years, the time from initial consult to biopsy has decreased from 65 days to 20 days (70%), from biopsy to surgery for 154 days to 64 days, and from biopsy to chemotherapy from 148 days to 72 days. Conclusion A system of early diagnosis in level 1 and 2 hospitals—now centers of excellence—with rapid referral to a tertiary care institution has facilitated the implementation of the cancer program in Colombia. Although several barriers are still to be addressed, we are establishing an efficient health care model that could be replicated in other underserved countries. AUTHORS' DISCLOSURES OF POTENTIAL CONFLICTS OF INTEREST The following represents disclosure information provided by authors of this manuscript. All relationships are considered compensated. Relationships are self-held unless noted. I = Immediate Family Member, Inst = My Institution. Relationships may not relate to the subject matter of this manuscript. For more information about ASCO's conflict of interest policy, please refer to www.asco.org/rwc or ascopubs.org/jco/site/ifc . Armando Sardi Stock or Other Ownership: Celgene, Johnson & Johnson Mavalynne Orozco-Urdaneta Employment: Partners For Cancer Care And Prevention Foundation, Stamina-in-Action Stock or Other Ownership: Celgene, Johnson & Johnson Luis Gabriel Parra-Lara Research Funding: Merk & Co