Community Outreach and Engagement in Cancer Research Through a Biobank Clinic at Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital and Research Centre, Pakistan

Q: What was the purpose of the biobank clinic in this study?

The clinic was designed to raise awareness of biobank research among cancer patients, address concerns through discussion, and encourage voluntary participation to support cancer research.

Q: How was patient participation assessed and compared in pre- and post-clinic phases?

Patients underwent screening and were invited to participate; participation levels were compared between pre-clinic and post-clinic cohorts using two-sample independent t-tests on mean participant numbers.

Q: What were the key outcomes reported from the clinic initiative?

Across an 11-month period, appointments were scheduled for 759 patients and 656 visited the clinic, resulting in enrollment of 646 patients and an observed consent rate of 98.47%.

Sep 21, 2026

Uploaded by Olivia Brown

Cancer’s global rise heightens the need for ongoing research, prevention, and accessible healthcare, yet Pakistan faces a substantially elevated burden of disease. This study raises awareness of biobank research within the cancer patient community and aims to strengthen participation and collaboration. A biobank clinic was initiated in October 2022, where patients were screened, invited, and engaged through discussion of significance, concerns, and consent. Results include 958 participants, with 98.47% consent after clinic initiation and improved clinic visitation.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages8

Reading Time20 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Introduction

Methods

Results

Conclusion

How to cite this article

Open Access Original Article DOI: 10.7759/cureus.55179 Review began 01/23/2024 Review ended 02/18/2024 Published 02/28/2024 © Copyright 2024 Farooq et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License CC-BY 4.0. , which permits unrestricted use , distribution , and reproduction in any medium , provided the original author and source are credited. Community Outreach and Engagement in Cancer Research Through a Biobank Clinic at Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital and Research Centre, Pakistan Asim Farooq 1, Muhammad Hassan 1, AsifLoya 2, KashifAsghar 1 1. Basic Sciences Research, Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital and Research Centre, Lahore, PAK 2. Pathology, Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital and Research Centre, Lahore, PAK Corresponding author: KashifAsghar, [drkashifasghar@gmail.com](drkashifasghar@gmail.com) Abstract Introduction: Cancer 's increasing prevalence across the globe emphasizes the urgency for continued research, prevention, and accessible healthcare to mitigate its impact on individuals and communities. While there have been significant advances made towards controlling cancer morbidity and mortality in recent decades, Pakistan continues to experience a markedly elevated burden of the disease. With this study, we aim to raise awareness about biobank research within the cancer patient community, fostering participation and collaboration to advance the fight against cancer through vital research contributions. Methods: In October 2022, we initiated the biobank clinic at Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital and Research Centre (SKMCH&RC) . Here, patients underwent screening and received invitations to voluntarily participate in biobank research. During these interactions, we engaged patients in discussions about the significance of biobank research, addressed their concerns, and encouraged their participation in advancing our research endeavors. Two-sample independent t-tests were performed to compare the mean number of participants in pre-clinic and post-clinic cohorts. Results: This research involved a total of 958 participants, with 312 participants enrolled before the clinic and 646 participants enrolled after the clinic. We have observed a noticeable increase in the participation of cancer patients in our research endeavors since the inception of the biobank clinic (p-value<0 .001) . Over an 11-month time frame, we scheduled appointments for 759 patients, and out of those, 656 patients availed themselves to visit the clinic. Impressively, we achieved the enrollment of 646 patients into the clinic, reflecting an exceptional consent rate of 98.47% for their active involvement in our research initiatives. This underscores our commitment to conducting comprehensive discussions and providing thorough explanations regarding the ethical and procedural aspects of our research. Conclusion: Biobank clinic plays a pivotal role in raising cancer awareness and fostering research participation, especially in regions with limited healthcare infrastructure and lower literacy rates. It emerges as a community-engagement model that aligns research with local needs, ensuring its relevance and benefit to the population. Categories: Public Health, Epidemiology/Public Health Keywords: shaukat khanum memorial cancer hospital and research centre, biobank clinic, biobank, cancer research, community outreach and engagement Introduction Cancer is a global health concern and a prominent contributor to worldwide mortality [1] . According to the GLOBOCAN 2022 report, there were 19,965,054 reported cases of cancer, resulting in 9,736,520 deaths globally [2] . Notably, Pakistan 's population accounts for 2.99% of the global population, securing its position as the fifth most populous country in the world [3] . According to the GLOBOCAN 2022 report, there were 185,748 reported cases of cancer (including non-melanoma skin cancer),

FAQs

What was the purpose of the biobank clinic in this study?

The clinic was designed to raise awareness of biobank research among cancer patients, address concerns through discussion, and encourage voluntary participation to support cancer research.

How was patient participation assessed and compared in pre- and post-clinic phases?

Patients underwent screening and were invited to participate; participation levels were compared between pre-clinic and post-clinic cohorts using two-sample independent t-tests on mean participant numbers.

What were the key outcomes reported from the clinic initiative?

Across an 11-month period, appointments were scheduled for 759 patients and 656 visited the clinic, resulting in enrollment of 646 patients and an observed consent rate of 98.47%.

Sep 21, 2026

Uploaded by Olivia Brown