Molecular Basis for Variations in Hereditary Colorectal Cancer Syndromes

April 14, 2026 updated by: M.D. Anderson Cancer Center

Objectives:

  1. To examine the variations in clinical features, survival outcomes, family history, and health behavior among proband patients who are known or suspected to have a hereditary colorectal cancer syndrome
  2. To compare the clinical features, survival outcomes, and health behavior of the proband vs. his/her family members who may or may not be affected by the hereditary colorectal cancer syndrome
  3. To explore for correlations between germline genetic variations in both the probands and family members with observed variations in the overall disease phenotype across probands and kindreds, within a given syndrome. Disease phenotype is defined to include: (1) clinicopathologic features including patient demographics and oncologic outcomes; (2) clinical manifestations of disease including the timing, spectrum and severity of CRC and extracolonic cancers. Genetic variations may include the specific codon mutated, the type of mutation and sequence alteration (e.g. nonsense, missense etc), chromosomal/gene copy number changes, and gene polymorphisms.
  4. To explore for correlations between germline genetic variations in both the probands and family members with observed variations in somatic CRC tumor biology, including tumor pathology and other tumor molecular markers

Study Overview

Detailed Description

Participants:

Questionnaires:

If participant agrees to take part in this study, participant will fill out a some questionnaires about participant's work, family history, medical history, and health habits. If participant has already answered these questionnaires when participant was registered as a patient at MD Anderson, the study staff will give participant a copy and review participant's answers with participant for any updates or if participant has any questions. It should take about 20 minutes to complete the questionnaires.

Participant will also complete a health and lifestyle questionnaire, which contains 20 questions for men and 22 questions for women. This questionnaire should take about 10 minutes to complete.

Participant may be given the questionnaires electronically on REDcap (a secure, web-based application used to collect data for research studies that participant can access from participant's phone, tablet, or computer), over the phone (either with a member of the study staff asking questions or by using an electronic response system called IVR), at home through the mail, or in person by a member of the research staff at participant's MD Anderson visit. If mailed, a postage-paid return envelope will be provided for the return of the questionnaire.

Blood or Saliva Sample:

Blood (about 2-3 tablespoons) will be drawn. If possible, the blood will be drawn during an already scheduled blood draw to avoid additional needle sticks.

If participant is unwilling or unable to give a blood sample, participant may give a saliva sample instead. If participant is at MD Anderson, a saliva kit will be given to participant. If participant is not at MD Anderson, the kit will be mailed to participant with instructions for collecting the saliva sample and a prepaid envelope will be included to return the sample to the study staff.

The blood or saliva sample will be sent to the research laboratory of the study chairs at MD Anderson for testing.

Residual Tissue Collection:

If participant has tissue from procedures performed at MD Anderson, this tissue may be requested from participant's previous procedures for testing. If participant has had procedures done at another institution, participant may be asked to sign a waiver to allow the tissue from the outside institution to be sent to MD Anderson for testing.

Follow-Up Questionnaires:

Participant will also fill out a follow-up questionnaire at least 1 time in 5 years to update participant's medical, cancer, and family history. Each questionnaire will take approximately 20 minutes to complete.

Withdrawing from the Study:

Participant may withdraw from participation in this study at any time. If participant decides participant wants to stop taking part in this study, data collected about participant and data taken from the blood or saliva samples participant has provided up to the time participant withdraws will remain in study database and will be used for the purposes of the study.

Length of Study:

Participant's active participation on this study will be over after the blood, tissue, and/or saliva samples have been collected and participant has completed all of the questionnaires.

This is an investigational study.

Up to 2,000 patients and/or family members will take part in this study. All will be enrolled at MD Anderson.

Family Members:

Questionnaire:

Participant will complete a health questionnaire, which will collect information about participant's personal medical history, demographics (age, race, sex, and so on), and questions about participant's alcohol and tobacco use. This questionnaire should take about 20 minutes to complete.

Participant may be given the questionnaires electronically on REDcap (a secure, web-based application used to collect data for research studies that participant can access from participant's phone, tablet, or computer), over the phone (either with a member of the study staff asking questions or by using an electronic response system called IVR), at home through the mail, or in person by a member of the research staff at participant's family member's MD Anderson visit.

If mailed, a postage-paid return envelope will be provided for the return of the questionnaire.

Blood or Saliva Sample:

If participant agrees to take part in this study and participant is able to come to MD Anderson, blood (about 2-3 tablespoons) will be drawn.

If participant is unwilling or unable to give a blood sample, participant may give a saliva sample instead. If participant is at MD Anderson, a saliva kit will be given to participant. If participant is not at MD Anderson, the kit will be mailed to participant with instructions for collecting the saliva sample and a prepaid envelope will be included to return the sample to the study staff.

The blood or saliva sample will be sent to the research laboratory of the study chairs at MD Anderson for testing.

Outside Tissue Collection:

If participant has had a procedure done at a hospital, surgical center, or doctor's office outside of MD Anderson, participant may optionally be asked to sign a waiver to allow tissue stored at the outside hospital, surgical center, or doctor's office to be sent to researchers at MD Anderson.

Follow-Up Questionnaires:

Participant will also fill out a follow-up questionnaire at least 1 time in 5 years to update participant's medical, cancer, and family history. Each questionnaire will take approximately 20 minutes to complete.

Withdrawing from the Study:

Participant may withdraw from participation in this study at any time. If participant decides participant wants to stop taking part in this study, data collected about participant and data taken from the blood or saliva samples participant has provided up to the time participant withdraws will remain in study database and will be used for the purposes of the study.

Length of Study Participant's active participation on this study will be over after the blood, outside tissue and/or saliva samples have been collected and participant has completed all of the questionnaires.

This is an investigational study. Up to 2,000 patients and/or family members will take part in this study. All will be enrolled at MD Anderson.

Study Type

Observational

Enrollment (Estimated)

2000

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Locations

    • Texas
      • Houston, Texas, United States, 77330
        • Recruiting
        • University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

18 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Sampling Method

Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

Participants that have, or are suspected to have, a hereditary colorectal cancer syndrome registered at MD Anderson and family members.

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

Probands who meet the following criteria will be eligible:

  1. Patient must have or is suspected to have a hereditary CRC syndrome
  2. Patient must be at least 18 years of age at the time of study registration.
  3. Patient must have sufficient command of the English language and mental capacity to provide consent

Family members who meet the following criteria will be eligible:

  1. First- or second-degree relative of a registered MDACC patient who has met eligibility criteria for a Proband as defined above.
  2. Family member must be at least 18 years of age at the time of study registration.
  3. Family member must have sufficient command of the English language and mental capacity to provide consent

Exclusion Criteria:

N/A

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

Cohorts and Interventions

Group / Cohort
Intervention / Treatment
Consenting Proband Group
Questionnaires completed at baseline. Blood sample taken at baseline. Follow-up questionnaire completed at least 1 time in 5 years.

Consenting Proband Group: Participants fill out questionnaires about work, family history, medical history, and health habits at baseline. It should take about 20 minutes to complete the questionnaires. Participants also complete a health and lifestyle questionnaire, which contains 20 questions for men and 22 questions for women. Questionnaire should take about 10 minutes to complete. Follow-up questionnaire at least 1 time in 5 years to update medical, cancer, and family history.

Family Members (MDA Registered Patients) Group and Family Members (Not MDA Registered Patients) Group: Participants complete a health questionnaire, which collects information about their personal medical history, demographics (age, race, sex, and so on), and questions about their alcohol and tobacco use at baseline. Questionnaire should take about 20 minutes to complete. Participants complete follow-up questionnaire at least 1 time in 5 years to update their medical, cancer, and family history.

Other Names:
  • Surveys
About 2-3 tablespoons blood drawn. Participants may give a saliva sample instead.
Family Members (MDA Registered Patients) Group
Health questionnaire completed at baseline. Blood sample taken at baseline. Follow-up questionnaire completed at least 1 time in 5 years.

Consenting Proband Group: Participants fill out questionnaires about work, family history, medical history, and health habits at baseline. It should take about 20 minutes to complete the questionnaires. Participants also complete a health and lifestyle questionnaire, which contains 20 questions for men and 22 questions for women. Questionnaire should take about 10 minutes to complete. Follow-up questionnaire at least 1 time in 5 years to update medical, cancer, and family history.

Family Members (MDA Registered Patients) Group and Family Members (Not MDA Registered Patients) Group: Participants complete a health questionnaire, which collects information about their personal medical history, demographics (age, race, sex, and so on), and questions about their alcohol and tobacco use at baseline. Questionnaire should take about 20 minutes to complete. Participants complete follow-up questionnaire at least 1 time in 5 years to update their medical, cancer, and family history.

Other Names:
  • Surveys
About 2-3 tablespoons blood drawn. Participants may give a saliva sample instead.
Family Members (Not MDA Registered Patients) Group
Health questionnaire completed at baseline. Blood sample taken at baseline. Follow-up questionnaire completed at least 1 time in 5 years.

Consenting Proband Group: Participants fill out questionnaires about work, family history, medical history, and health habits at baseline. It should take about 20 minutes to complete the questionnaires. Participants also complete a health and lifestyle questionnaire, which contains 20 questions for men and 22 questions for women. Questionnaire should take about 10 minutes to complete. Follow-up questionnaire at least 1 time in 5 years to update medical, cancer, and family history.

Family Members (MDA Registered Patients) Group and Family Members (Not MDA Registered Patients) Group: Participants complete a health questionnaire, which collects information about their personal medical history, demographics (age, race, sex, and so on), and questions about their alcohol and tobacco use at baseline. Questionnaire should take about 20 minutes to complete. Participants complete follow-up questionnaire at least 1 time in 5 years to update their medical, cancer, and family history.

Other Names:
  • Surveys
About 2-3 tablespoons blood drawn. Participants may give a saliva sample instead.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Variations in Clinical Features Compared Between Proband Group and Family Member Group
Time Frame: 5 years
Comparison made using 1-way ANOVA or Chi-squared tests.
5 years

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Variations in the Overall Disease Phenotype Between Proband Group and Family Member Group
Time Frame: 5 years
Disease phenotype defined to include: (1) clinicopathologic features including patient demographics and oncologic outcomes; (2) clinical manifestations of disease including the timing, spectrum and severity of CRC and extracolonic cancers.
5 years

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Investigators

  • Principal Investigator: Yi-Qian N. You, MD, M.D. Anderson Cancer Center

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

May 22, 2012

Primary Completion (Estimated)

May 30, 2027

Study Completion (Estimated)

May 30, 2027

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

August 8, 2016

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

August 10, 2016

First Posted (Estimated)

August 11, 2016

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

April 17, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

April 14, 2026

Last Verified

April 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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