Stopping genetic changes that cause colorectal cancer to stop responding to targeted drugs
Targeting Chromosomal Instability in the Evolution of Resistance to Matched Therapies Against Colorectal Cancer to Extend Treatment Response
Tests ways to stop genetic changes in colorectal cancer that make targeted drugs stop working for people with advanced disease.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Sloan-Kettering Inst Can Research NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11291328 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
As a patient, I would learn whether my tumor has extra copies of cancer genes (sometimes carried on mobile pieces of DNA called ecDNA) that make targeted drugs stop working. The researchers will study tumor samples from patients and laboratory models to see when these amplifications appear and how they change with treatment. They plan to identify weaknesses created by chromosomal instability that could be targeted with additional therapies to keep drugs working longer. Finding markers of early resistance could help guide better treatment choices for patients like me.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People with metastatic colorectal cancer who are receiving or about to receive targeted therapies (for example BRAF- or KRAS G12C-directed drugs), especially if their tumor or blood tests show gene amplifications, would be the best match.
Not a fit: Patients with early-stage colorectal cancer treated only with surgery or those without targetable driver mutations are unlikely to benefit directly from this research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could help targeted treatments keep working longer and delay cancer progression for patients with metastatic colorectal cancer.
How similar studies have performed: Prior studies have shown gene amplifications and ecDNA can drive rapid resistance in colorectal cancer, but using chromosomal instability as a treatable vulnerability is a newer, experimental idea.
Where this research is happening
New York, United States
- Sloan-Kettering Inst Can Research — New York, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Yaeger, Rona — Sloan-Kettering Inst Can Research
- Study coordinator: Yaeger, Rona
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.