Reducing delays in cancer care in sub-Saharan Africa

Cluster randomised trial of an education and navigation support intervention in primary care facilities in low and middle-income countries to reduce delays in cancer diagnosis

Status

Recruiting

Phases

Unknown

Study type

Interventional

Source

ISRCTN

Registry ID

ISRCTN58974446

Enrollment

225

Registered

2026-04-20

Start date

2026-04-27

Completion date

Unknown

Last updated

2026-05-04

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Reducing the time interval between presentation to the formal health sector with a symptom and receiving treatment for patients presenting with symptoms consistent with cancer Cancer

Interventions

Education In-person education sessions will be delivered to different cadres of clinical staff face-to-face, followed by an online refresher/consolidation course. The syllabus is based on need and exi

Eligibility

Sex/Gender

All

Age

18 Years to 99 Years

Inclusion criteria

Inclusion criteria: Healthcare facilities 1. Within each of the defined study areas facilities offering general outpatient primary care consultations for undifferentiated patients will be eligible for participation. These facilities include both small practices to large hospital polyclinics. Clinicians 1. All clinical staff who see patients for a primary care consultation will be eligible to participate in the study. This includes all relevant cadres of clinical staff: doctors, nurses, clinical officers, community health workers, community health assistants, and community health extension workers. Patients 2. Patients who are over the age of 18 and referred to secondary / specialist care with symptoms consistent with cancer.

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion criteria: Healthcare facilities 1. ‘Single-handed’ facilities providing fewer than ten clinical sessions per week, where a “session” is defined as a half-day by one clinical staff member. 2. Facilities that do not receive “walk-in” patients. 3. Facilities that do not receive all patients represented by the standardized patient cases, for example, male- or female-only facilities. 4. Specialist clinics not offering diagnosis and treatment of undifferentiated patients. Clinicians 1. Does not see patients in a clinical setting. Patients 1. Pregnant 2. Children (under age 18) 3. Emergency referrals 4. Previous diagnosis of cancer or presenting for routine follow up of existing cancer diagnosis. 5. Patients not fulfilling criteria of symptoms consistent with cancer.

Countries

Kenya, Nigeria

Contacts

Public ContactSamuel Watson

s.i.watson@bham.ac.uk+44 (0)121 414 3344

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ISRCTN (via WHO ICTRP) · Data processed: May 7, 2026