Bringing immunotherapy and biomarker testing to colorectal cancer patients in Nigeria
Addressing cancer disparities in Nigeria through Immuno-oncology Research – The NOLA Program
This program brings immunotherapy and tumor biomarker testing to people with colorectal cancer in Nigeria to improve survival and understand why outcomes differ.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Sloan-Kettering Inst Can Research NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11393460 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This program partners U.S. and Nigerian clinicians to collect tumor and blood samples and to map the immune features of colorectal cancer in Nigerian patients. Patients will be screened for microsatellite instability-high (MSI-H) tumors and those eligible will be offered a prospective immunotherapy treatment pathway. The team will build local lab and clinical trial capacity, track outcomes, and compare tumor biology to data from other populations to guide treatment choices.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are people in Nigeria diagnosed with colorectal cancer, especially those whose tumors test MSI-H or who can provide tumor and blood samples for biomarker testing.
Not a fit: Patients without colorectal cancer or whose tumors are not MSI-H may not benefit directly from the immunotherapy components of this program.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the project could make effective immunotherapy options and faster, cheaper biomarker testing more available to Nigerian colorectal cancer patients and improve survival.
How similar studies have performed: Immunotherapy has shown clear benefit for MSI-H colorectal cancer in high-income countries, but this is among the first prospective efforts to apply and study those approaches in sub-Saharan Africa.
Where this research is happening
New York, United States
- Sloan-Kettering Inst Can Research — New York, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Kingham, T Peter — Sloan-Kettering Inst Can Research
- Study coordinator: Kingham, T Peter
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.