Understanding how mouth cancer proteases drive pain in patients
Official title: Unraveling the protease puzzle: understanding composition and concentration in oral cancer pain
Funded at New York University · NIH-11383790 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This NIH grant looks at how enzymes in oral cancer tumors may cause pain, aiming to connect specific proteases with how patients feel pain.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | New York University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project start | July 1, 2026 |
| Project end | June 30, 2031 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $667,815 |
| NIH project number | 1R01CA314054-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11383790 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults with oral cancer, especially those with metastatic disease and significant pain.
✕Less likely to help
Patients without oral cancer or those who do not experience cancer-related pain may not benefit.
What this research studies
In people with oral cancer, tiny proteins called proteases in the tumor environment may activate a pain-related receptor, PAR2, influencing pain levels. The project will analyze how different proteases and their actions relate to the pain experiences reported by patients, focusing on metastatic cancers with high pain. Researchers will study how non-canonical protease activity changes where PAR2 signals inside cells, which could explain why pain varies among patients. The work combines clinical observations from patients with laboratory analyses to map protease patterns to pain phenotypes. Results could guide new approaches to reduce pain by targeting these proteases or PAR2 signaling.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients could benefit from more precise pain management strategies tailored to the protease makeup of their cancer.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work links PAR2 signaling to cancer pain, but this project explores how different proteases create varied pain patterns, which is a novel angle.
Where this research is happening
-
New York University
New York, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Albertson, Donna G — New York University
- Study coordinator: Albertson, Donna G
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Endosomal signaling and cancer pain control in oral cancer
A study to understand how signals inside nerve cells and supportive cells contribute to pain in people with oral cancer.
-
Truncated TrkB and Oral Cancer Pain in Head and Neck Cancer
This project looks at a specific brain receptor told to influence pain in people with oral cancer to find new ways to reduce pain without heavy opioids.
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Blocking HB-EGF and trigeminal EGFR to reduce oral cancer pain and opioid tolerance
Blocking HB-EGF and EGFR signals in trigeminal nerve cells to try to reduce severe mouth cancer pain and slow opioid tolerance for people with oral cancer.
-
Continuous flow production of antibody-loaded nanoparticles for non-opioid oral cancer pain relief
A non-opioid approach using antibody-packed nanoparticles is being developed to relieve oral cancer pain and improve quality of life.
-
Investigating a specific protein's role in pain from oral cancer
This study is looking at how a protein called TrkBT1 affects pain in people with head and neck cancer, with the goal of finding better ways to manage that pain without relying too much on opioids.
-
Understanding the causes of pain in oral cancer patients
This study is looking into why kids with oral cancer feel different levels of pain, so we can find better ways to help them feel more comfortable.
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.