How neighborhood and social factors shape young-onset colorectal cancer
Pathways to Prevention: Exploring Social Determinants of Health in Early Onset Colorectal Cancer
This project looks at how economic, education, healthcare, and neighborhood conditions relate to diagnosis timing, treatment delays, and survival for people diagnosed with colorectal cancer before age 50 in high‑risk areas.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Kentucky NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Lexington, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11292890 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
They will combine cancer registry and medical record data with county- and neighborhood-level information on income, education, healthcare access, and community context. The team will focus on people under 50 diagnosed with colorectal cancer in Kentucky and Georgia and place emphasis on Black/African American and rural populations. They will examine when cancers are diagnosed, how long it takes to start the first course of treatment, and survival outcomes. The goal is to identify social and geographic barriers that could be targeted to improve earlier diagnosis and timely care.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are people diagnosed with colorectal cancer before age 50 who live in Kentucky or Georgia, especially Black/African American individuals and residents of rural counties.
Not a fit: People without colorectal cancer, those over age 50, or individuals living outside the study regions are unlikely to gain direct benefit from this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could reveal social and geographic barriers that, when addressed, might lead to earlier diagnosis and faster treatment for younger colorectal cancer patients.
How similar studies have performed: Previous research has linked social determinants to colorectal cancer outcomes, but combining multiple community-level factors specifically for early-onset cases in high-risk southern counties is more novel.
Where this research is happening
Lexington, United States
- University of Kentucky — Lexington, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Moore, Justin Xavier — University of Kentucky
- Study coordinator: Moore, Justin Xavier
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.