Immune System and Radiation in Rectal Cancer
Official title: Dynamics of Immune Response in Irradiated Rectal Cancer
Funded at Weill Medical Coll of Cornell Univ · NIH-11419223 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This grant supports a small international study to understand how radiation therapy interacts with the immune system in rectal cancer by collecting tumor, blood, stool, and lymph node samples from patients before and after treatment.
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 start | September 21, 2022 |
| Project end | July 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $1,495,166 |
| NIH project number | 5U54CA274291-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11419223 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Patients with rectal cancer planned for preoperative short course radiotherapy who are able to consent and provide tissue and blood samples.
✕Less likely to help
Patients unable to undergo biopsy around the treatment period or unable to provide samples may not benefit.
What this research studies
Patients with rectal cancer will undergo a short course of preoperative radiotherapy and provide tumor biopsies, blood, stool, and lymph node samples at key time points. Researchers will use advanced analysis to look at how radiation changes the immune environment and the microbiome within the treatment area. The study brings together multiple international centers to rapidly translate lab findings into clinical insights that could improve responses to radiation therapy.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, findings could lead to more effective, personalized radiation strategies and better immune-related outcomes for rectal cancer patients.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work shows that integrating immune profiling with radiation can reveal mechanisms of response, but this study expands it across international centers and multiple sample types.
Where this research is happening
-
Weill Medical Coll of Cornell Univ
New York, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Formenti, Silvia C. — Weill Medical Coll of Cornell Univ
- Study coordinator: Formenti, Silvia C.
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Molecular Characterization of Radiation Effects in Rectal Cancer
A patient-facing platform study aims to link tissue changes, imaging, and the immune system during radiotherapy for rectal cancer to improve future treatments.
-
Targeting tryptophan metabolism to improve rectal cancer treatment
This NIH grant is exploring a new way to help people with locally advanced rectal cancer by combining radiation with a drug that blocks a pathway our immune system uses to protect tumors.
-
Time-restricted eating during rectal cancer treatment to reduce toxicity and improve outcomes
A clinical trial tests whether eating only within a set time window during cancer treatment can reduce side effects and help treatments work better for rectal cancer patients.
-
Enhancing Rectal Cancer Immunotherapy with Radiation-Induced Senescence and PTPN2 Inhibition
This grant explores a combo approach using radiation and a targeted inhibitor to boost the body's immune attack on rectal cancer, aiming to preserve the organ and reduce long-term side effects.
-
Early response to radiotherapy and immunotherapy in rectal cancer
A new approach combines short-course radiation, chemotherapy, and an immune therapy antibody to try to shrink rectal cancers before surgery or avoid surgery altogether.
-
Harnessing treatment-induced tumor evolution in rectal cancer using a patient-centered co-clinical platform
A Duke-led program tests how rectal cancers change during treatment to uncover new ways to improve outcomes for patients who might avoid surgery or have better responses.
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.