Improving Follow-Up Care for Colorectal Cancer Survivors
Official title: A Pragmatic Randomized Controlled Trial to Evaluate the Effectiveness of an Intervention to Promote Guideline-Concordant Colorectal Cancer Surveillance
Funded at University of Michigan at Ann Arbor · NIH-11137714 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project offers a new program to help colorectal cancer survivors and their loved ones better understand and follow recommended check-ups after treatment.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Michigan at Ann Arbor NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Ann Arbor, United States) |
| Project start | August 1, 2024 |
| Project end | July 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $531,041 |
| NIH project number | 5R01CA293394-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11137714 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are colorectal cancer survivors who have completed curative treatment and their family members or supporters.
✕Less likely to help
Patients currently undergoing active treatment for colorectal cancer or those without a history of colorectal cancer may not directly benefit from this specific program.
What this research studies
After finishing treatment for colorectal cancer, many survivors find it hard to keep up with important follow-up appointments and tests that help catch any cancer recurrence early. Our program, called Current Together After Cancer (CTAC), is designed to give you and your supporters the knowledge and confidence to manage these crucial surveillance steps. We want to make sure you receive all the recommended blood tests, imaging scans, and endoscopies. This effort aims to make your transition into survivorship smoother and more effective.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this program could help more colorectal cancer survivors receive timely follow-up care, potentially leading to earlier detection of recurrence and better health outcomes.
How similar studies have gone: While the CTAC program is a new prototype, it builds on the recognized need to improve patient education and support for cancer surveillance, an area where previous efforts have shown varying degrees of success.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Michigan at Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Veenstra, Christine — University of Michigan at Ann Arbor
- Study coordinator: Veenstra, Christine
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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A practical plan to help colorectal cancer survivors keep up with surveillance tests
A practical trial tests a support program called CTAC to help colorectal cancer survivors and their caregivers stay on track with recommended follow-up tests.
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Improving colorectal cancer surveillance for survivors
This study is looking at a program called Current Together After Cancer (CTAC) to see how it can help colorectal cancer survivors and their supporters feel more confident and informed about keeping up with important follow-up care like blood tests and scans.
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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.