How social conditions and tumor biology drive lung cancer differences in African Americans
The interplay of social and molecular determinants in lung cancer disparity
This project looks at how neighborhood stress and immune signals in tumors may explain why African Americans often have more aggressive lung cancer.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Morehouse School of Medicine NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Atlanta, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11247958 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you join, you'll be asked to share health information, details about your neighborhood and stress experiences, and to provide blood and tumor samples. Researchers will analyze tumor immune signals, focusing on the CCR6/CCL20 pathway, and measure stress-related markers like cortisol. They will compare molecular and social data between African American and European American patients to see how these factors together relate to tumor aggressiveness. The goal is to link social conditions with biological changes that could help explain racial differences in lung cancer outcomes.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adults diagnosed with non-small cell lung cancer, especially African American patients willing to provide clinical data, blood, and tumor samples, are ideal candidates.
Not a fit: People without non-small cell lung cancer, those unwilling to give tissue or blood samples, or those seeking immediate treatment changes may not directly benefit from participation.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to new immune-targeted treatments or social interventions that reduce aggressive lung cancer in African American patients.
How similar studies have performed: Prior studies have linked immune pathways and stress hormones to cancer outcomes, but combining CCR6/CCL20 molecular analysis with neighborhood-level social factors to explain racial disparities is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
Atlanta, United States
- Morehouse School of Medicine — Atlanta, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Singh, Shailesh — Morehouse School of Medicine
- Study coordinator: Singh, Shailesh
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.