Binaytara Cancer Research Institute Abstracts Accepted for ASCO 2026

Binaytara Cancer Research Institute’s work on cervical cancer screening in Nepal has been selected for presentation at ASCO 2026, highlighting the growing global impact of community-based cancer prevention and implementation science in low-resource settings.

Global Recognition for Community-Based Cervical Cancer Research

Research on cervical cancer screening among women in rural Nepal was selected for poster presentation and online publication at one of the world's leading oncology conferences.

Binaytara is pleased to announce that researchers affiliated with the Binaytara Cancer Research Institute have had an abstract accepted for poster presentation at the 2026 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting, one of the most influential gatherings in the global oncology community. Two other abstracts from the team have also been accepted for online publication by ASCO.

The accepted research emerges from Binaytara's community-based cervical cancer screening program in Janakpur, Nepal, and reflects a sustained effort to generate high-quality, locally-led evidence on cancer prevention in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).

“We are truly excited and deeply honored that our work from Janakpur has been selected for poster presentation at ASCO. This recognition means so much to our entire team — from our community outreach team, nurses, lab technicians and community health workers to the women of Madhesh who trusted us and stepped forward for screening.”

— Gamala Luitel | Binaytara

ASCO 2026 Poster Presentation: Cervical Cancer Awareness and Screening in Nepal

Poster Abstract 11110 (552578): “Determinants of cervical cancer awareness, procedural knowledge, and information sources among Nepali women undergoing HPV screening”

Authors: Jin Mou, Suchit Shashikumar, Gamala Luitel, Gamvirta Devkota, Asha Kumari Yadav, Ruchika Shrestha, Khushi Shah, Prity Lata Chakraborty, Binay Shah, MD, MHA.

Affiliations: Binaytara (Bellevue, WA, USA) and Binaytara Cancer Center (Janakpurdham, Nepal).

Study Design and Community-Based Screening Approach

The study examined the factors that shape whether women in underserved communities in Nepal understand and engage with cervical cancer screening. HPV-based screening was conducted through two community health fairs in Janakpur in 2025, with clinician-collected samples tested using an isothermal amplification assay. Survey data from 274 Nepali women — including 32 women who tested positive for high-risk HPV (HrHPV) — were analyzed using multivariate logistic regression.

Key Findings on Awareness, Education, and Health Autonomy

• Education drives awareness. Women with secondary education or higher were significantly more likely to have heard of cervical cancer (aOR 4.45; 95% CI 1.81–10.95; p=0.001).
• Awareness does not equal procedural knowledge. Education alone did not translate into understanding of the vaginal sampling procedure itself.
• Health autonomy matters. Procedural knowledge was limited among women whose health decisions were made by a husband or in-laws (aOR 0.42; 95% CI 0.25–0.72; p=0.002) rather than by themselves.
• HrHPV-positive women were less informed pre-screening. Women who tested positive for HrHPV were significantly less likely to have understood the sampling procedure before testing (aOR 0.33; 95% CI 0.14–0.78; p=0.01) — a finding with direct implications for outreach design.
• FCHVs are a trusted channel for middle-aged women. Women aged 30–44 relied more on Female Community Health Volunteers (FCHVs) and community networks for screening information than on medical providers (aOR 1.89; 95% CI 1.01–3.53; p=0.048).

The authors conclude that future implementation strategies should focus on empowering women in their own health decision-making, improving procedural literacy around screening, and equipping FCHVs with tailored training to reach middle-aged women — a group disproportionately affected by cervical cancer in LMICs.

“Cervical cancer is preventable, yet women in underserved communities continue to suffer simply because awareness and access are missing. That is why community outreach is at the heart of everything we do at Binaytara. When women in Lohana and surrounding areas come forward for HPV screening, it is not just a clinical moment — it is a moment of courage and trust. We want to honor that trust by making sure their stories and their health data reach the global medical community.”

— Gamala Luitel | Binaytara

Implementation Science from LMICs on the Global Stage at ASCO

The ASCO Annual Meeting brings together oncologists, researchers, and global health leaders from more than 100 countries each year. Abstracts undergo peer review, and acceptance — particularly for poster presentation — signals that the research offers methodologically sound, relevant insights to the international cancer community.

For Binaytara, acceptance of this work is a meaningful step in positioning implementation science from Nepal within a forum that has historically been dominated by research from high-income settings. It also reinforces a core principle of the Binaytara Cancer Research Institute: that evidence generated in, by, and for communities in LMICs belongs on the global stage.

“I believe this is the true lower-hanging fruit for implementation science to make its contribution to the needed community. I am a strong believer of preventive medicine, which was my major while in medical school. Implementation science is still a young domain. Its theoretical frameworks cannot stop on paper. Taking RE-AIM, the most popular outcome structure in this field, as an example — in the upcoming months and years, can Binaytara truly transform what is available out there into a scalable, feasible, and impactful practice in the real world, and save lives?”

— Jin Mou, MD, PhD | Binaytara

About the Binaytara Cancer Research Institute

The accepted research is led by Jin Mou, MD, PhD, Implementation Science & Research Development Officer at Binaytara and the first core member leading the development of the Binaytara Cancer Research Institute. The Institute's work focuses on generating rigorous, community-embedded evidence to improve cancer prevention, screening, and care in low-resource settings — with particular attention to South Asia.

The Janakpur screening program is coordinated with the Binaytara Cancer Center in Janakpurdham, Nepal, and draws on a multidisciplinary team of clinicians, nurses, lab technicians, community health workers, and Female Community Health Volunteers.

“As a career epidemiologist, I believe firmly in evidence — in a brighter future where LMICs will ramp up, particularly in cancer prevention practice that has already had mature technology. Application of established evidence in the needed community takes patience, and teamwork. It takes listening to the local community members, working with local leaders, and truly putting our feet in local women's boots. Evidence is never just a publication. It is power.”

— Jin Mou, MD, PhD | Binaytara

Additional ASCO 2026 Abstracts from Binaytara

Abstract on Patterns of High-Risk HPV Positivity in Nepal

ASCO has also accepted another abstract by the Binaytara Cancer Research Institute team for online publication at the 2026 Annual Meeting: “Patterns of high-risk HPV positivity in Janakpur, Nepal: Implications for scalable cervical cancer screening.”

Authors: Prity Lata Chakraborty, Jin Mou, Gamala Luitel, Gamvirta Devkota, Asha K. Yadav, Ruchika Shrestha, Khushi Shah, Suchit Shashikumar, Binay K. Shah (Binaytara, Bellevue, WA; Binaytara, Janakpurdham, Nepal; Binaytara Cancer Center, Janakpurdham, Nepal).

This companion study examines patterns of high-risk HPV positivity in the Janakpur cohort and explores how those patterns can inform scalable, equitable cervical cancer screening strategies in similar low-resource settings.

“Having this abstract accepted at ASCO is especially meaningful to me because I care deeply about bridging gaps in cancer prevention for women in low-resource settings. This research highlights an important intersection between medical technology and implementation science, showing that while point-of-care testing can be transformative, its success is closely tied to community education and access to reliable health information. For me, this work is about more than data — it is about helping empower underserved populations with the knowledge and access needed to prevent cervical cancer through earlier detection and screening. I am honored to share these insights with the global oncology community and to support more scalable, equitable screening models that prioritize the women and communities most at risk.”

— Prity Lata Chakraborty, MPH, MSc | Binaytara

Abstract on HPV Screening Outcomes and Decision-Making Dynamics

Another Binaytara Cancer Research Institute abstract, Education and Decision-Making Autonomy Drive HPV Screening Outcomes in Nepal: Insights from a Community-Based Pilot, was also accepted for online publication at the 2026 Annual Meeting.

Authors: Suchit Shashikumar, Gamala Luitel, Jin Mou, Gamvirta Devkota, Asha Kumari Yadav, Ruchika Shrestha, Khushi Shah, Prity Lata Chakraborty, Binay Shah

This study demonstrates that effective HPV screening in Nepal requires addressing specific procedural knowledge and family-based decision-making. We found that successful implementation depends on engaging the family unit to navigate social barriers that general awareness alone does not solve.

"Conducting this research in Nepal was an eye-opening process. I saw firsthand how familial pressure remains a major force in how people access care. Growing up and training in India, I recognize a massive need to improve how we put scientific findings into practice. We work hard to fix the technical limits of medicine, but the most difficult task is making those solutions work for the general public.

In a time when AI-generated misinformation makes it difficult to tell what is real, our role as scientists must include clear, direct communication. We must use our voices to ensure that women in low-income regions receive accurate information and the care they deserve. This project served as a reminder that science only succeeds when it reaches the people it is meant to help."

- Suchit Shashikumar, MBBS | Binaytara | RGUHS, Bangalore, Karnataka, INDIA

Looking Ahead: Expanding Equitable Cancer Screening

Binaytara's goal is to move from evidence to integrated, sustained services — expanding screening access, strengthening follow-up care, and building local research capacity so that women in rural Madhesh and comparable communities can benefit from the full continuum of cervical cancer prevention and treatment.

“Having this work presented at ASCO means that the voices of women in rural Madhesh will be heard in one of the world's most important cancer conferences. We hope it sparks conversations, partnerships, and support that will help us expand this program and eventually offer holistic, integrated services — from screening to treatment and follow-up care — to every woman who needs it. We are grateful, we are hopeful, and we are more committed than ever.”

— Gamala Luitel | Binaytara

Frequently Asked Questions About Binaytara’s ASCO 2026 Research

1. What research was accepted at ASCO 2026?

Binaytara researchers presented a study on cervical cancer awareness, procedural knowledge, and HPV screening among women in rural Nepal.

2. Why is this research important?

It highlights gaps between awareness and understanding, emphasizing the need for better education, autonomy, and community outreach in cancer prevention.

3. What role do community health workers play in screening?

Female Community Health Volunteers (FCHVs) are key trusted sources of information, especially for middle-aged women in rural communities.

4. What is implementation science in cancer care?

Implementation science focuses on translating proven medical interventions into real-world practice, especially in underserved communities.

5. How does this research impact global cancer prevention?

It demonstrates that locally generated data from low-resource settings can guide scalable and equitable cancer screening strategies worldwide.