New treatment approach for liver cancer spread from colon cancer
Official title: A new therapeutic strategy to target liver metastasis in colon cancer
Funded at Ohio State University · NIH-11133691 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at a new way to help prevent liver cancer spread in people with colon cancer by testing a special treatment that works with certain receptors in the body, and it aims to see how well this treatment works alone or with other cancer medicines.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Ohio State University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Columbus, UNITED STATES) |
| Project start | March 1, 2025 |
| Project end | February 28, 2030 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $460,985 |
| NIH project number | 1R01CA292598-01A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11133691 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are patients diagnosed with colon cancer who are at risk of developing liver metastasis.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with colon cancer who do not have a risk of liver metastasis or those who have already progressed to advanced metastatic disease may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates a novel therapeutic strategy aimed at preventing liver metastasis in patients with colon cancer. It focuses on the role of dopamine D4 receptors in regulating specific cytokines that contribute to cancer spread. By testing selective DRD4 agonists, either alone or in combination with existing anti-cancer drugs, the research aims to determine their effectiveness in reducing liver metastasis in preclinical animal models that mimic human conditions. The study will also explore the underlying molecular mechanisms involved in this process.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to new treatment options that significantly reduce the risk of liver metastasis in colon cancer patients.
How similar studies have gone: While the specific approach of targeting DRD4 in this context is novel, similar strategies targeting metastasis in other cancers have shown promise in previous research.
Where this research is happening
-
Ohio State University
Columbus, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Basu, Sujit — Ohio State University
- Study coordinator: Basu, Sujit
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Targeting CLDN1 to overcome chemoresistance and curb metastasis in colon cancer
A new drug candidate that blocks CLDN1 may help people with colon cancer respond better to chemotherapy and reduce spread.
-
How blocking a specific protein may help treat colon cancer
This study is looking at a protein called claudin-1 that helps colon cancer spread, and it’s testing a new treatment that might make chemotherapy work better and stop the cancer from spreading further, all to help people with advanced colon cancer feel better and live longer.
-
Stopping colon cancer from spreading to the liver with a new drug approach
Researchers are trying drugs that activate the dopamine D4 receptor, alone or with standard chemotherapy, to stop colon cancer from spreading to the liver in people at risk of liver metastases.
-
How the PTPRT gene affects colon cancer growth and spread
Researchers are looking at whether changes in a gene called PTPRT change how colon cancer grows and spreads, which could help people with colorectal cancer.
-
Investigating how a specific protein affects colon cancer growth and spread
This study is looking at a protein called PTPRT and how changes in it might affect the growth and spread of colon cancer, using special mice to help find new ways to understand and treat the disease.
-
Investigating how sex differences affect colon cancer spread
This study is looking at how a gene called KDM5D affects colon cancer differently in men and women, with the goal of finding new treatments that could help improve survival for all patients.
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.