PC3I Associate Director Surbhi Grover, MD, MPH and Deputy Director Katharine Rendle, PhD, MSW, MPH recently presented research at the 14th AORTIC International Conference on Cancer in Africa. Hosted by the African Organisation for Research and Training in Cancer (AORTIC), and taking place in Dakar, Senegal from November 2, 2023 to November 6, 2023, this biennial conference assembles multidisciplinary oncology specialists from around the world to reduce the impact of cancer in Africa. The theme of this year’s AORTIC conference was “Cancer in Africa: Implementation, Workforce, Opportunities.” The conference seeks to foster the exchange of knowledge and ideas, and to provide the opportunity to learn from global oncology leaders. 

On November 3, 2023, PC3I’s Grover and Rendle presented their work assessing the impact of the COVID-19 global pandemic on timely access to cervical cancer treatment in Botswana. Through the Botswana-UPenn partnership, the research team collected responses from both before and after the pandemic on cervical cancer knowledge, screening history, and barriers to care. While findings showed no indication that the COVID-19 pandemic led to more substantial treatment delays in Botswana, they demonstrated a need to address cervical cancer treatment delays in general.