Liver fat and the risk of colorectal cancer spreading to the liver
Association between pre-diagnosis hepatic fat infiltration and risk of liver metastasis and mortality in a large cohort of stage I-III colorectal cancer survivors
This project looks at whether liver fat present when people are diagnosed with stage I–III colorectal cancer is linked to a higher chance the cancer will later spread to the liver.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Harvard University D/b/a Harvard School of Public Health NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11171604 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers will measure liver fat from CT scans taken around the time of colorectal cancer diagnosis for thousands of patients in a large Kaiser Permanente cohort. They will compare how often patients with higher versus lower liver fat go on to develop liver metastases or die, using medical records and cancer registry follow-up. Because these CT scans are already part of usual care, the team will use quantitative imaging methods to create a simple biomarker without requiring extra tests. The study uses statistical models to control for other risk factors and estimate whether liver fat independently predicts outcomes.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are people with stage I–III colorectal cancer who had a CT scan within four months of diagnosis and underwent surgical resection.
Not a fit: People diagnosed with stage IV colorectal cancer at presentation, patients without baseline CT imaging prior to treatment, or those with unrelated cancers are unlikely to benefit directly from this work.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If confirmed, a CT-based measure of liver fat could serve as a safe, low-cost prognostic marker to help tailor follow-up and treatment for colorectal cancer survivors.
How similar studies have performed: Biological studies and smaller observational analyses have suggested links between fatty liver and cancer spread, but using CT-quantified hepatic fat as a clinical prognostic marker for colorectal cancer is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
Boston, United States
- Harvard University D/b/a Harvard School of Public Health — Boston, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Giovannucci, Edward — Harvard University D/b/a Harvard School of Public Health
- Study coordinator: Giovannucci, Edward
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.