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ABOUT
STUDY ELIGIBILITY
Willing and able to sign the informed consent in compliance with protocol requirements.
Patients eligible to go on to curative therapy (i.e., resection) will be excluded.
Age ≥ 18 years.
ECOG performance status 0-2.
Tumor/lesion that can be biopsied without undue risk.
Histologically or cytologically confirmed diagnosis of colorectal cancer.
FIRST PHASE
OBSERVATIONAL: YEARS 1-3
Phase 1 of the ASCEND-CRC study is a forward-looking research project that aims to monitor how tumors change over time in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (CRC) as they receive different lines of treatment (from first to third). For each stage of treatment, researchers collect both tumor tissue and blood samples from patients before starting therapy and again during treatment (specifically at week 3). Additional blood samples are taken at each follow-up scan to check how the cancer is responding.
By analyzing these samples, the study hopes to quickly identify biological markers that show how tumors are adapting to treatment and developing resistance. The study uses advanced testing methods that are already available in clinics and research labs, which means the findings have a clear pathway for their clinical transition into guiding therapeutic strategies and addressing tumor evolutions.
SECOND PHASE
INTERVENTIONAL: YEARS 3-6
The first phase of our study focuses on identifying important biological markers, which will form the basis for the second phase of the research. In this next phase, we aim to quickly pinpoint and apply two main types of biomarkers: those present at the start that can predict how a patient will respond to standard treatments, and those that emerge over time, indicating when a tumor has developed resistance and may require a change in therapy.
For the second phase, patients who are receiving their second or third round of treatment will be enrolled in one of two study groups, depending on whether their cancer shows signs of acquired resistance. This structure allows us to tailor treatment strategies more precisely as the disease evolves.
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