The Cancer Screening Research Network's (CSRN) primary focus is to reduce cancer-related illnesses and deaths by evaluating new and complex technologies that screen for cancer.
The CSRN is a multi-center effort, funded by the National Cancer Institute, and is the first large-scale network to focus on cancer screening. Fred Hutch Cancer Center serves as the coordinating and communications center as well as the statistics and data management center.
Initial studies will examine Multi-Cancer Detection assays (MCDs), which identify cells in blood or other bodily fluids that could indicate the presence of cancer. The CSRN began its work in 2024 with the aim of launching the Vanguard Study in 2025 to assess the feasibility of using MCD tests in future larger trials.
Coordinating and Communications Center
Fred Hutch serves as the Coordinating and Communications Center (CCC). The CCC will develop study protocols and train and monitor the nine U.S. organizations that will recruit participants.
Statistics and Data Management Center
The Statistics and Data Management Center (SDMC) that will oversee cancer screening clinical trials enrolling diverse participants. In addition, the SDMC will lead the statistical designs and manage and analyze the vast amounts of data generated.
“NCI has launched CSRN to evaluate a variety of different technologies for the purpose of cancer screening. Detecting cancer early is not enough to improve people’s lives. Through CSRN, we're going to study whether using these new technologies will make a difference in people’s lives.”
Dr. Lori M. Minasian, MD, Deputy Director of NCI’s Division of Cancer Prevention.
Next Steps for CSRN
The CSRN began its work in 2024 with the aim of launching the Vanguard Study in 2025 to recruit and enroll healthy participants who are eligible to be screened for cancer and assess the feasibility of using a small number of MCD tests. The Vanguard study will inform a larger randomized trial that will look at whether the benefits of using MCD tests outweigh the harms, and whether they can detect cancer early in a way that reduces cancer-related deaths.
