How lifestyle-related oxidative stress may raise cancer risk

Biomarkers, mechanisms and modulation of oxidative stress associated risk factors in carcinogenesis

NIH-funded research Beckman Research Institute/city of Hope · NIH-11182627

Researchers will look for DNA signs of oxidative stress in colorectal tumors and link those signs to patients' long-term lifestyle and inflammation history.

Quick facts

Grant typeNIH-funded research
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionBeckman Research Institute/city of Hope NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (Duarte, United States)
Project IDNIH-11182627 on NIH RePORTER

What this research studies

You would be asked to allow use of your tumor tissue and detailed medical and lifestyle records. Investigators will perform whole-genome sequencing and use computational 'mutational signature' methods to find DNA patterns caused by reactive oxygen species (ROS). They will combine multi-omic lab analyses and computational work to study how oxidative stress can promote tumor development and whether those effects can be modified. The team will compare signature levels against long-term lifestyle factors like obesity, diet, and chronic inflammation to see which exposures match the DNA marks.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: People with colorectal cancer who can provide tumor tissue and have detailed, longitudinal lifestyle and medical information would be the best candidates.

Not a fit: People without colorectal tumors, without available tumor tissue or detailed lifestyle records, or those expecting immediate new treatments are unlikely to benefit directly from this work.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this could produce a biomarker of lifetime oxidative stress that helps identify people at higher cancer risk and guide prevention or personalized care.

How similar studies have performed: Previous studies have identified mutational signatures for smoking and UV exposure, but a reliable ROS-related mutational signature is not yet established and this application is relatively novel for oxidative stress.

Where this research is happening

Duarte, United States

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.
Last reviewed 2026-06-10 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.