How belly fat and metabolism raise colon and liver cancer risk
Decoding mechanisms underlying metabolic dysregulation in obesity and digestive cancer risk
This project looks for blood and tissue signs that tie visceral (belly) fat and metabolic problems to higher colorectal and liver cancer risk in adults.
Quick facts
| Grant type | U01 cooperative agreement |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Brigham and Women's Hospital NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11167566 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you join, researchers may use body measurements, existing study data, and blood and tissue samples to find metabolic and inflammatory signals linked to visceral (belly) fat. They will compare adults with different BMI and metabolic health to identify markers of "metabolically unhealthy" obesity. The team will connect those markers to colorectal and liver cancer risk using participant samples and medical records. The goal is to find simpler, cheaper tests that could flag people whose fat distribution and metabolism put them at higher digestive cancer risk.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are adults (age 21+) with a range of body weights and metabolic profiles who can provide blood or tissue samples and share medical history.
Not a fit: People who cannot or will not provide biospecimens or medical information, or who lack measures of visceral adiposity, are unlikely to benefit directly from participation.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could produce blood or tissue tests to identify people with high-risk metabolic obesity who might benefit from targeted cancer prevention.
How similar studies have performed: Previous studies have linked visceral fat and metabolic dysfunction to colorectal and liver cancer, but this project aims to define more specific biological markers and pathways, combining established findings with novel marker discovery.
Where this research is happening
Boston, United States
- Brigham and Women's Hospital — Boston, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Tobias, Deirdre Kay — Brigham and Women's Hospital
- Study coordinator: Tobias, Deirdre Kay
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.