Helping childhood cancer survivors and their doctors improve colorectal cancer screening
Official title: The ASPIRES Study: Activating Cancer Survivors and their Primary Care Providers to Increase Colorectal Cancer Screening
Funded at University of Chicago · NIH-11030321 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking to help childhood cancer survivors who had radiation treatment in their belly or pelvis and are at a higher risk for colorectal cancer by using a digital program to encourage them and their doctors to follow screening guidelines better.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Chicago NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Chicago, United States) |
| Project start | March 1, 2021 |
| Project end | February 28, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $606,991 |
| NIH project number | 5R01CA255269-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11030321 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are childhood cancer survivors aged 30 and older who have received abdominal or pelvic radiotherapy.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who have not undergone abdominal or pelvic radiotherapy or are under the age of 30 may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research focuses on childhood cancer survivors who have undergone abdominal or pelvic radiotherapy and are at a higher risk of developing colorectal cancer. It aims to improve adherence to colorectal cancer screening guidelines through a digital health intervention that activates both the survivors and their primary care providers. The study will involve a randomized controlled trial with 315 participants, assessing the effectiveness of different activation strategies to encourage screening. By utilizing remote digital tools, the research seeks to bridge the gap in follow-up care for these high-risk individuals.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could significantly increase colorectal cancer screening rates among childhood cancer survivors, leading to earlier detection and improved survival outcomes.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown that digital health interventions can effectively improve screening rates in various populations, suggesting potential success for this novel approach.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Chicago
Chicago, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Henderson, Tara Olive — University of Chicago
- Study coordinator: Henderson, Tara Olive
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Helping childhood cancer survivors and their primary care doctors increase colorectal cancer screening
A remote digital program will help childhood cancer survivors aged 30 and older and their primary care doctors get recommended colorectal cancer screening.
-
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Improving colorectal cancer screening and follow-up care.
This study is working to help more people get screened for colorectal cancer and receive the follow-up care they need, especially those who haven't been screened much before, so that everyone can have better access to important health checks and improve their overall health.
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Bringing colorectal cancer screening to adults 45–54 who haven’t been screened
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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.