Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second leading cause of cancer death in the United States in men and women combined. According to the American Cancer Society, in recent decades incidence of colorectal cancer and mortality due to the disease have been declining in older adults, diagnosed over the age of 50 years old. However, scientists are now reporting a sharp rise in colorectal cancers in adults diagnosed before the age of 50 years old, an ominous trend including young adults diagnosed in their 20s and 30s.
A recent study published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute states that adults born circa 1990, compared with those born circa 1950, have double the risk of colon cancer and quadruple the risk of rectal cancer. In addition, from 1989-90 to 2012-2013 the proportion of rectal cancers diagnosed in adults younger than age 55 doubled from 14.6% to 29.2%. Currently, one in ten colorectal cancer patients are diagnosed before the age of 50 and nearly one-third of rectal patients are younger than age 55.
Given these rising trends, the Colorectal Cancer Alliance Chris4Life Research Grants in young-onset colorectal cancer research represent an effort to encourage and support researchers to conduct young-onset colorectal cancer research and to establish a successful career path in this field.
The Colorectal Cancer Alliance will award three Colorectal Cancer Alliance Chris4Life Research Grants in Young-Onset Colorectal Cancer Research in June 2020.
Grant proposals will be considered in the following categories:
- Basic
- Translational,
- Clinical, or
- Epidemiological in nature
Focus could be but is not limited to one or all of the following areas:
- The risk factors and causes associated with the rise in young-onset colorectal cancer including but not limited to changes in the microbiome and its impact on young-onset colorectal cancer.
- Cellular, genomic, and epigenomic mechanisms in young-onset colorectal cancer for improving early detection and improving treatments.
- Better mechanisms for increasing the long-term survival rates of those with young-onset colorectal cancer.
- The psychosocial impacts of young-onset colorectal cancer and the overall social influence on daily survivorship.
Examples of such projects include, but are not limited to:
- Research that leads to improvement in early detection and intervention of colorectal cancer in young-onset populations.
- Research that leads to a better understanding of the risk factors and causes associated with the rise in young-onset colorectal cancer thus enabling diagnosis at earlier and more treatable stages with an increased survival rate.
- Research that leads to better treatment mechanisms for those living with young-onset colorectal cancer thus increasing the long-term survival rates for those living with the disease.
- Research that leads to a better understanding of the psychosocial impacts associated with young-onset colorectal cancer and its influence on both short-term and long-term survivorship and daily life.
An eligible proposal must demonstrate substantial potential for impact on prevention/early detection or treatment of young-onset colorectal cancer survivor population.
Three three-year grants in the amount of $300,000 each will be awarded to support the work of the researcher while working on young-onset colorectal cancer research. No more than 25% of the PI’s salary can be allotted to the budget. A partial amount of funds may be designated for non-personnel expenses, such as research/laboratory supplies, equipment, publication charges for manuscripts that pertain directly to the funded project, and other research expenses.