Walter Sisulu University

The ECAS (Esophageal Cancer Screening App) project has revolutionised access to cancer screening in the rural communities of the Eastern Cape by introducing the world’s first mobile application specifically designed to assess the risk of esophageal cancer. Through community-based screening initiatives, a total of 590 individuals in underserved rural areas, including Mbekweni, Mhlakulo, Willowvale, and Gatyana, have been screened. The project identified 189 individuals (32%) as high-risk, leading to 17 endoscopic examinations. Of these, six (6) biopsies confirmed treatable precancerous conditions in 6 patients. This early detection holds the promise of preventing the progression to invasive cancer, thereby directly saving lives, reducing healthcare costs, and establishing a scalable model for cancer prevention in resource-limited settings.