How radiation changes rectal tumors and nearby tissues
Molecular Characterization Trial of Irradiated Rectal Cancer
The project collects tissue, blood, stool, and imaging from people with rectal cancer before and after short-course radiation to find biological and imaging signals linked to treatment outcomes.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Weill Medical Coll of Cornell Univ NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11189678 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You would join a platform that enrolls people with rectal cancer who are getting standard short-course radiotherapy and planned surgery and collects tumor, normal tissue, blood, stool, and imaging at multiple time points. Lab tests and molecular profiling will be done on those samples to track changes in the tumor, nearby normal tissue, the immune system, and the microbiome caused by radiation. The trial is being run at several international centers so findings are based on a larger, more diverse group of patients. Advanced bioinformatics will combine clinical, biological, and imaging data to look for patterns that relate to how well treatment works or what side effects occur.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are adults with rectal cancer who are scheduled for short-course radiotherapy and surgery and who can provide tissue, blood, and stool samples and attend imaging visits.
Not a fit: People without rectal cancer, those not receiving short-course radiotherapy, or those unable or unwilling to provide samples or complete follow-up visits are unlikely to be included or receive direct benefit.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could help predict who benefits from radiation, guide more personalized treatment choices, and reduce harmful side effects.
How similar studies have performed: Prior biomarker and imaging studies in cancer have shown promise, but combining longitudinal tumor, normal tissue, immune, and microbiome data across multiple centers is a relatively new approach.
Where this research is happening
New York, United States
- Weill Medical Coll of Cornell Univ — New York, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Golden, Encouse — Weill Medical Coll of Cornell Univ
- Study coordinator: Golden, Encouse
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.