Cancer screening design for accurate ROC estimates using smart sampling
Official title: Cancer screening validation study design using optimal two-phase sampling schemes
Funded at University of South Florida · NIH-11436938 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A small research grant to improve how we confirm cancer screening results in high-risk people by using smarter two-phase sampling to estimate how well a test detects cancer.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R03 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of South Florida NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Tampa, United States) |
| Project start | September 21, 2026 |
| Project end | August 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $150,000 |
| NIH project number | 1R03CA317744-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11436938 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are individuals in high-risk groups who would participate in cancer screening validation studies.
✕Less likely to help
General population screening participants not involved in ROC-curve validation may not benefit directly.
What this research studies
This project aims to develop efficient sampling methods so that studies validating cancer screening tests can determine how well a test distinguishes cancer from non-cancer without needing invasive biopsies for everyone. It focuses on optimizing how many people to sample at different screening score levels to accurately estimate the ROC area of a continuous test. The work will create practical guidelines for choosing cut-offs, strata, and sampling probabilities in large validation studies. The outcomes could make future screening studies cheaper and less risky for participants while preserving diagnostic accuracy.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, it could improve the efficiency and ethics of cancer screening studies, potentially speeding the development of better, safer screening tests for high-risk populations.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research shows that two-phase sampling can be effective in diagnostic studies for estimating test performance.
Where this research is happening
-
University of South Florida
Tampa, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Wu, Yougui — University of South Florida
- Study coordinator: Wu, Yougui
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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.