Why some early lung lesions stick around while others go away
Persistence and regression in lung premalignant lesions
This project looks at biological differences in early lung lesions from people at high risk for lung cancer to find targets for drugs that could stop lesions that tend to persist and become cancer.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Colorado Denver NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Aurora, UNITED STATES) |
| Project ID | NIH-11241133 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
From my perspective as a patient, researchers will examine tissue and molecular data from premalignant lung lesions to compare lesions that persist versus those that regress. They will focus on changes in cell cycle control, cell–cell junctions, and immune cell patterns such as macrophages and regulatory T cells. The team will use biopsies, molecular profiling, and laboratory models to identify pathways that could be targeted with prevention drugs. The goal is to find specific interception targets that could be translated into therapies to prevent progression to invasive lung cancer.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates would be people identified with premalignant lung lesions, often former smokers or lung cancer survivors who are at elevated risk for developing lung cancer.
Not a fit: People without premalignant lung lesions or those who already have invasive lung cancer are unlikely to benefit directly from this prevention-focused research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to targeted prevention treatments that stop high-risk premalignant lesions from progressing to lung cancer.
How similar studies have performed: Previous work has found molecular signatures that separate lesions likely to persist from those that regress, but using those signatures to develop targeted interception therapies is a newer and still unproven approach.
Where this research is happening
Aurora, UNITED STATES
- University of Colorado Denver — Aurora, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Tennis, Meredith a — University of Colorado Denver
- Study coordinator: Tennis, Meredith a
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.