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Colorectal Cancer Research and Clinical Trials

Winship Cancer Institute is advancing colorectal cancer research through innovative clinical trials, precision medicine and discoveries that improve prevention, screening and treatment.

Developing Novel Therapies at Winship Advancing Colorectal Cancer Care Through Research

Colorectal cancer is one of the most common cancers in the United States and remains a leading cause of cancer-related death.

Thanks to decades of research, however, survival rates continue to improve, and new treatment options are helping patients live longer and with a better quality of life.

Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University is honored to be one of only a select number of National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Centers in the country and the only cancer center in Georgia leading, initiating and collaborating in innovative colorectal cancer research.

Our researchers are advancing new approaches to prevention, screening, diagnosis, treatment and survivorship while working to improve outcomes for patients with colon cancer, rectal cancer and other gastrointestinal malignancies.

Colorectal Cancer Research at Winship

Research at Winship leads to new discoveries that improve care for patients with colorectal cancer. Our physician-scientists investigate innovative therapies, personalized treatment strategies and technologies designed to improve outcomes while minimizing treatment-related side effects.

Of course, colorectal cancer research goes beyond developing new therapies. Research helps us better understand the disease, improve screening and diagnostic approaches and identify which treatments work best for specific patients. Winship researchers are helping change how the world prevents, detects, diagnoses, treats and survives colorectal cancer.

Our bench-to-bedside research program enables discoveries in the laboratory to be translated into innovative treatments in the clinic. We also conduct outcomes research, analyzing large datasets to better understand treatment effectiveness and improve cancer care for patients across the country.

Areas of Colorectal Cancer Research

Winship researchers are advancing knowledge in several areas of colorectal cancer research, including:

  • Colon cancer
  • Rectal cancer
  • Precision medicine and biomarker-driven treatment
  • Immunotherapy for colorectal cancer
  • Early detection and screening
  • Hereditary colorectal cancer syndromes
  • Treatment resistance
  • Survivorship and quality-of-life research
  • Outcomes and population health research

Colorectal Cancer Clinical Trials

In addition to standard therapy, many Winship patients with colorectal cancer are eligible to participate in a clinical trial.

Clinical trials are controlled studies that evaluate new approaches to preventing, diagnosing and treating disease. They may provide access to promising therapies that are not yet widely available.

Participating in Colorectal Cancer Research

Clinical trials are an important part of the research process and help move discoveries from the laboratory into patient care. By the time a treatment reaches a clinical trial, it has undergone extensive laboratory testing and preclinical safety evaluation.

As a leading research center, Winship physicians work to match eligible patients with clinical trials that align with their diagnosis and treatment goals. We welcome trial participants from all over Georgia and throughout the Southeast. Talk with your doctor about whether you are eligible to participate in a clinical trial.

Frequently Asked Questions About Colorectal Cancer Research

A clinical trial is a research study that evaluates new approaches to preventing, diagnosing or treating disease. Clinical trials help researchers determine whether new therapies are safe and effective.

Winship researchers study prevention, screening, diagnosis, treatment, survivorship and quality-of-life issues related to colorectal cancer, including both colon and rectal cancers.

Many patients with colorectal cancer may be eligible to participate in a clinical trial. Eligibility depends on factors such as diagnosis, stage of disease, treatment history and overall health.

No. Clinical trials are available for patients at many stages of care, including newly diagnosed patients. Some studies evaluate new treatments, while others focus on prevention, screening or survivorship.

Precision medicine uses information about a patient's tumor biology, genetics and biomarkers to help physicians identify treatments that may be most effective for that individual's cancer.

Research has led to significant advances in screening, diagnosis and treatment that have improved survival rates and quality of life for many patients. Continued research helps identify better ways to prevent, detect and treat colorectal cancer.

Research has helped refine screening approaches and identify strategies that can detect colorectal cancer earlier, when treatment is often most effective.

Winship conducts colorectal cancer research at the following locations: