Understanding and targeting the bowel cancer microenvironment
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Understanding the bowel cancer microenvironment and developing methods of targeting it to improve treatment.
IRAS ID
334339
Contact name
Nicholas Peake
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Sheffield Hallam University
Duration of Study in the UK
9 years, 11 months, 22 days
Research summary
Colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer worldwide, and the second most common cause of cancer-related deaths. Despite improvements in screening, many patients are diagnosed in later stages of disease, where outcome is poor - less than 10% of patients diagnosed with stage IV disease survive longer than 5 years. Further, even after treatment with curative intent, over a third of patients have recurrence of the disease - that is, the cancer returns either at the original site or having spread around the body. This points to an inability of current treatments to successfully remove all cancer cells, and a need for better treatment of advanced disease. Cancer tissue is known to be dense, stiff and fibrous due to the abnormal function of cells within the tissue and the remodelling of the tissue structure. This dysfunctional tissue environment - known as the tumour microenvironment, appears to plays a key role in progression of colorectal cancer and the response to treatment, but the mechanisms driving this contribution are not fully understood. This study aims to study the tumour microenvironment using cell and tissue models, in order to understand its unique properties with the hope of developing treatments targeting it to improve outcome for patients with colorectal cancer.
REC name
London - Brighton & Sussex Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
24/PR/0667
Date of REC Opinion
17 Jul 2024
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion