Abstract A118: Development of a residual Pap smear biobank to power translational research and address health disparities in cervical cancer

Abstract Background: Despite significant progress in reducing cervical cancer incidence and mortality, it still poses a major public health challenge both globally and in the US, particularly among younger women and underserved communities. Morbidity from precancerous lesions also remains common. While high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) infection is the primary driver, the roles of other molecular, environmental, and social factors in disease progression remain unclear. Methods: We will establish a Cervical Cytology Biobank to collect residual ThinPrep vials from women aged 21–65 who visit VCU Health outpatient clinics, under an IRB-approved, opt-out consent process. Vials will be sent weekly to our laboratory, where they will be centrifuged (2,000 × g, 10 min, 4 °C). The supernatant and cellular pellet will then be aliquoted into 1 mL cryovials. After a brief QC check (volume, pH, nucleic acid yield), all aliquots will be stored at –80 °C. Clinical and demographic data will be linked weekly from the EHR via a secure registry to facilitate easy retrieval for future molecular and biomarker studies. Results: Once active, we will recover approximately 98% of residual ThinPrep supernatant and pellets, yielding ∼2 µg nucleic acid per sample with >95% meeting QC criteria on first thaw. Our opt-out consent is expected to engage around 96% of patients, and specimens will be frozen at –80 °C within a week of clinical sample processing. The registry will link each sample to EHR demographics, Pap results, HPV genotypes, and outcomes with >99% accuracy. At steady state, we anticipate banking approximately 6,000 specimens annually to support longitudinal and molecular correlation studies. In the first quarter, we anticipate banking approximately 1,150 samples, with an estimated 29% from individuals identifying as Black or African American. Integration with electronic health records will enable future longitudinal analysis and molecular correlation studies. Conclusions: Rigorous SOPs, strict ethical oversight, and seamless EHR integration ensure this Residual Pap Smear Biobank serves as a sustainable platform for biomarker discovery, molecular epidemiology, and health disparities research across cervical and other gynecologic diseases. This model sets a new standard for translational science and advances the field of women’s health research. Citation Format: Bahira Ahmed, Sadia Sayeed, Shreya Balasani, Guleer Shahab, Bianca D. Owens, Katherine Y. Tossas. Development of a residual Pap smear biobank to power translational research and address health disparities in cervical cancer [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 18th AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities; 2025 Sep 18-21; Baltimore, MD. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2025;34(9 Suppl):Abstract nr A118.