Radiomic clues to predict who can avoid rectal cancer surgery
Official title: Novel radiomic signatures for treatment response to neoadjuvant therapy in rectal cancers
Funded at Emory University · NIH-11319816 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A study using MRI-based texture patterns to spot rectal cancer patients who might respond so well to neoadjuvant therapy that surgery could be avoided.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Emory University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Atlanta, United States) |
| Project start | April 1, 2023 |
| Project end | April 30, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $506,849 |
| NIH project number | 5R01CA280981-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11319816 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults with rectal cancer undergoing neoadjuvant therapy who may be candidates for organ-preservation approaches.
✕Less likely to help
Patients whose tumors do not show imaging or biomarker signs of complete response would continue standard treatment with surgery as planned.
What this research studies
If your rectal cancer could respond completely to initial treatment, this project aims to identify imaging and blood signals that reliably signal a true complete response. By combining MRI features with simple blood tests and clinical exams, researchers hope to pinpoint who might safely skip or delay surgery. The goal is to support organ preservation without compromising outcomes. This work could lead to more personalized, less invasive care for patients undergoing total neoadjuvant therapy.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients at high likelihood of true complete response could avoid major surgery and its side effects.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work shows promise in using imaging to guide organ-preserving strategies, but validated, reliable markers are not yet established.
Where this research is happening
-
Emory University
Atlanta, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Viswanath, Satish Easwar — Emory University
- Study coordinator: Viswanath, Satish Easwar
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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.