Sugar markers for bile duct cancer (cholangiocarcinoma)
Official title: Glycan Biomarkers for Cholangiocarcinoma
Funded at Medical University of South Carolina · NIH-11241168 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Looking at specific sugar patterns in blood and tissue to help find bile duct cancer earlier in people at risk.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Medical University of South Carolina NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Charleston, United States) |
| Project start | December 5, 2024 |
| Project end | November 30, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $645,884 |
| NIH project number | 5R01CA289381-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11241168 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates include people with suspected or confirmed cholangiocarcinoma, patients with primary sclerosing cholangitis or other high-risk biliary conditions, and those undergoing evaluation for biliary disease who can provide blood or tissue samples.
✕Less likely to help
People without biliary disease or those unable or unwilling to provide blood, bile, or tissue samples are unlikely to receive direct benefit from participation.
What this research studies
If I join, researchers will collect blood and, when available, bile or tissue samples from people with bile duct cancer and from people with other liver or biliary conditions. They will measure changes in glycosylation (specific sugar patterns) in serum, bile, and tissue and compare those patterns to the commonly used marker CA19-9. Computer algorithms will be used to see if these glycan patterns can reliably tell cancer apart from other diseases. The team aims to develop a blood- or bile-based test that could detect cholangiocarcinoma sooner than current methods.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could enable earlier and more accurate detection of bile duct cancer with a blood or bile test, potentially improving treatment options and outcomes.
How similar studies have gone: Early studies, including the investigators' own work, have shown promising glycan differences in cholangiocarcinoma, but larger clinical validation is still novel and needed.
Where this research is happening
-
Medical University of South Carolina
Charleston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Mehta, Anand S. — Medical University of South Carolina
- Study coordinator: Mehta, Anand S.
Related research
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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.