IARC 60th Anniversary - 19-21 May 2026
Session : 19/05/26 - Posters
Multiomic Approach for Early Detection of Oesophageal Squamous Cell Cancer in South Africa
MMBI P. 1,2, MPANGASE P. 1, HAZELHURST S. 1, CHEN W. 1,3,4,5
1 Sydney Brenner Institute for Molecular Bioscience, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa; 2 Division of Human Genetics, National Health Laboratory Service and School of Pathology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa; 3 Strengthening Oncology Services Research Unit, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa; 4 National Cancer Registry, a Division of the National Institute for Communicable Diseases, National Health Laboratory Service, Johannesburg, South Africa; 5 Network for Oncology Research in Africa (NORA), Global Health Working Group, Martin-Luther-University, Halle-Wittenberg, Germany
Background:
Oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is the predominant subtype of oesophageal cancer globally. It poses a significant public health challenge in Sub-Saharan Africa, including South Africa, where incidence and mortality remain high. The disease is typically asymptomatic in its early stages, leading to late-stage diagnosis and poor survival outcomes. Despite this burden, there is no organised screening programme for OSCC in South Africa.
Objectives:
This study aims to integrate saliva microbiome profiling, somatic exome sequencing, and epidemiological and clinical data to identify actionable biomarkers that distinguish OSCC cases from non-cancer controls and may support early detection in high-risk populations. Secondarily, a sub-objective is to contextualise these findings within the broader detection landscape through a scoping review that catalogues current and emerging OSCC detection methods and identifies unmet needs relevant to low-resource settings. In addition, a scoping review is underway to systematically map existing and emerging OSCC detection methods, highlighting current practices, innovation trends, and gaps in early detection strategies.
Methods:
This multiomic case–control study comprises 100 histologically confirmed OSCC cases and 200 age and sex-matched non-cancer controls recruited from multiple South African clinical sites. Saliva, tumour biopsy, and peripheral blood samples were collected using standardised protocols. Saliva samples underwent shotgun metagenomic sequencing to characterise microbial diversity, differential abundance, and functional profiles. Tumour and matched normal DNA will be subjected to whole-exome sequencing to identify somatic mutations and mutational signatures. Epidemiological and clinical data were obtained via structured questionnaires. Data will be analysed using established bioinformatic pipelines, followed by multiomic integration to explore co-occurring microbial, genomic, and clinical patterns. In parallel, the scoping review follows PRISMA-ScR and Joanna Briggs Institute guidelines to map reported OSCC detection methods across multiple detection methods.
Conclusion:
By combining multiomic biomarker discovery with a comprehensive scoping review of OSCC detection methods, this work will provide both molecular insight and strategic context for early detection research. The integrated findings aim to inform the development of non-invasive, context-appropriate screening strategies and guide future efforts to improve early detection, diagnosis and outcomes for OSCC in high-risk settings.