SCHD26 Abstracts Now Published in the International Journal of Cancer Care and Delivery: See Top Oral Presentation Highlights

The Summit on Cancer Health Disparities 2026 (SCHD26) continues to advance global oncology and cancer health equity, with more than 100 accepted abstracts now published in the International Journal of Cancer Care and Delivery (IJCCD). Among them, six standout studies were selected for oral presentation, highlighting groundbreaking research in HPV prevention, psychosocial oncology, mobile cancer screening, artificial intelligence, genomic medicine, and equitable diagnostic testing across diverse and underserved populations worldwide.

Over 100 abstracts accepted for presentation at the Summit on Cancer Health Disparities 2026 (SCHD26) have been published in Volume 6 Supplemental Issue 1 of the International Journal of Cancer Care and Delivery (IJCCD). These abstracts offer a window into cutting-edge research across global oncology, implementation science, and cancer health equity. Spanning studies from Tanzania to Canada, the abstracts show both the innovation driving the field forward and the persistent disparities that make Binaytara’s work so critical.

Out of the 103 accepted abstracts, the following are the top six abstracts selected by the review committee for oral presentation.

Highlights of the Top 6 Abstracts Selected for Oral Presentation at SCHD26

1. Over Half of Female Sex Workers in Tanzania Test Positive for High-Risk HPV, Landmark Study Finds

A community-based study of 309 female sex workers in Tanzania's Kilimanjaro region, the first of its kind, found a high-risk HPV prevalence of 57.6%, with HPV genotypes 31/33/35/52/58 most common. HIV-positive status and tobacco use were associated with higher infection risk, while prior cervical cancer screening was protective. Researchers are calling for targeted interventions addressing HIV, tobacco use, and screening uptake in this underserved population.

Gumbo Silas, BSc, MPH, from Kilimanjaro Clinical Research Institute, Moshi, Tanzania, will present this study at SCHD26. View full abstract here.

2. Four Weeks of Structured Counselling Cuts Distress Scores in Half for Young Cancer Patients in India

A randomized controlled trial of 100 adolescent and young adult cancer patients in India found that four weekly structured psychosocial counselling sessions reduced mean distress scores from 6.1 to 2.9, a statistically significant drop, compared with no change in the control group. Improvements were seen across emotional, social, and practical domains. Researchers say the findings support routine distress screening and integrated psychosocial care in Adolescent and young adult (AYA) oncology settings.

Nihanthy Sreenath, MBBS, DMRT, DNB, DrNB, ECMO, from Saroj Gupta Cancer Centre & Research Institute, Kolkata, India, will present this study at SCHD26. View full abstract here.

3. Mobile Mammography Unit Detects 80% of Breast Cancers at Early Stage in Underserved Appalachian Women

Over 15 years and 48,385 mammograms across 19 counties in East Tennessee, the University of Tennessee Medical Center's mobile mammography program has screened more than 20,000 women. These include uninsured and minority populations to bring services directly to communities with no local breast imaging access. The program achieved a 90% diagnostic completion rate and detected 80% of cancers at stage 0 or 1, demonstrating that sustained mobile screening can meaningfully reduce disparities and save lives.

Savannah Allen, MPH from the University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Tennessee, United States, will deliver a talk about this study. View full abstract here.

4. AI Model Could Make Screening for Blood Cancer Risk Factor Nearly Cost-Free

Clonal Hematopoiesis of Indeterminate Potential (CHIP) is a condition affecting 10–20% of adults over 70 and linked to a tenfold increased risk of blood cancers. It currently requires next-generation sequencing costing up to $2,000 per sample. Researchers at the Cleveland Clinic are developing a deep learning model that can identify CHIP-associated mutational profiles from routine peripheral blood smear images, potentially enabling population-wide screening at virtually no additional cost and reducing racial disparities in detection.

Rafaella Litvin, MD, from Cleveland Clinic, Ohio, United States, will speak on this finding at SCHD26. View full abstract here.

5. Pioneering Genomic Study Reveals High BRCA Mutation Rates in Cameroonian Breast Cancer Patients

With African cancer genomics representing just 0.016% of global research, a hospital-based study of 82 Cameroonian breast cancer patients found pathogenic mutations in 28% of participants, with BRCA1 and BRCA2 accounting for nearly three-quarters of those. A single BRCA1 mutation (c.4484G>T) was present in 8.5% of the total cohort. Researchers say the findings reveal a population-specific genetic architecture and underscore the urgent need for equitable access to genetic testing and precision oncology in Africa.

Kenn Chi Ndi, MD, DES, from Centre Hospitalier Regional d'Ebolowa, Ngalan, Ebolowa, South Region, Cameroon, will share this discovery at SCHD26. View full abstract here.

6. Simpler In-House Test Outperforms Centralized Genomic Testing on Speed and Equity in Colorectal Cancer Care

A Canadian pilot study of 157 metastatic colorectal cancer patients found that in-house VE1 immunohistochemistry (IHC) for BRAF V600E mutation testing returned results in a median of 9 days versus 19 days for centralized next-generation sequencing, and was available by the first oncology visit in 48% of IHC cases compared to just 14% with NGS. With perfect concordance between both methods, researchers argue IHC offers a pragmatic, lower-resource strategy to close equity gaps for patients in remote and Indigenous communities across Canada.

Nissim Benizri, MD from McGill University Health Centre, Quebec, Canada, will discuss this new finding at SCHD26. View full abstract here.

Join Us at SCHD26 for an Action-Packed Continuing Medical Education Event

The selected oral abstracts, spanning AI, genomics, and community health, signal a bold research agenda for the conference. Speaking about the emerging themes, Dr. Don Dizon, the abstract review committee co-chair, shared: "Navigating disparities was a topic well covered not only by US authors but also by international authors. New drug access also stood out, particularly how to access expensive and novel treatments, such as CAR-T cell therapy."

This perspective underscores SCHD26's core objective: bridging the equity gap in healthcare with practical, actionable, and data-driven insights. To explore all accepted abstracts, visit binaytara.org/journal.