Understanding why Alaska Native adults face higher colorectal cancer risk
Official title: Building a Cancer Epidemiology Cohort to Investigate Factors Associated with Higher Risk of Colorectal Cancer among Alaska Native People
Funded at Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium · NIH-11123433 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project will enroll Alaska Native adults before colonoscopy to look for health, lifestyle, and biological factors linked to higher colorectal cancer risk.
Quick facts
| Grant type | U01 cooperative agreement |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Anchorage, United States) |
| Project start | August 1, 2024 |
| Project end | July 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $445,530 |
| NIH project number | 5U01CA290673-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11123433 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal participants are Alaska Native adults aged 21 and older who are scheduled for screening or diagnostic colonoscopy at participating Anchorage or regional Tribal hospitals and willing to provide health information and samples.
✕Less likely to help
People younger than 21, non-Alaska Native individuals, or those not undergoing colonoscopy or unwilling to share medical information or samples are unlikely to benefit from or participate in this cohort.
What this research studies
You would be part of a community-led effort that enrolls 1,000 Alaska Native adults at sites in Anchorage and three to four regional Tribal hospitals before they have a colonoscopy. Researchers will collect medical history, lifestyle information, and biological samples at baseline and link those findings to colonoscopy results, with follow-up over time for new colorectal cancers and advanced adenomas. The project is led by the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium in partnership with Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center and builds on prior pilot recruitment work. The team uses community engagement and culturally appropriate methods so results can guide prevention, risk prediction, and early detection for Alaska Native people.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could point to preventable causes and better screening strategies that reduce colorectal cancer cases and deaths among Alaska Native people.
How similar studies have gone: This is the first cohort focused specifically on Alaska Native people; while cohort studies in other populations have identified colorectal cancer risk factors, this approach is new for this community.
Where this research is happening
-
Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium
Anchorage, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Redwood, Diana — Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium
- Study coordinator: Redwood, Diana
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.