Making alcohol help fit into cancer care
Official title: Designing and Evaluating Multi-level Implementation Strategies to Address Alcohol Use within Oncology Care
Funded at University of Pennsylvania · NIH-11440656 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A cancer care program is testing ways to help patients reduce alcohol use by using simple screening and follow-through plans inside their treatment teams.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Pennsylvania NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Philadelphia, United States) |
| Project start | September 17, 2026 |
| Project end | August 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $649,366 |
| NIH project number | 1UG3CA315306-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11440656 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults diagnosed with cancer (including breast cancer) who use alcohol and are treated in oncology care settings.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who do not drink alcohol or who are not receiving active oncology care may not directly benefit.
What this research studies
This project focuses on bringing proven alcohol-use help into oncology settings to support patients and survivors who drink above guidelines. It uses real-world implementation strategies to integrate screening, brief advice, and referral to treatment (SBIRT) into routine cancer care, addressing barriers at the system, clinician, and patient levels. By testing how teams can adopt and sustain SBIRT in clinics, the study aims to make evidence-based alcohol help more available to people living with breast cancer and other cancer types. Patients will benefit from easier access to supportive services without disrupting their cancer treatment schedule.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients could receive timely support to reduce alcohol use, potentially improving treatment effectiveness and reducing risk of recurrence.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work shows SBIRT can reduce risky drinking in medical settings, but implementation in oncology is still being tested and refined.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Schnoll, Robert Adam — University of Pennsylvania
- Study coordinator: Schnoll, Robert Adam
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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.