Fight Colorectal Cancer (Fight CRC) and Collaborative Group of the Americas on Inherited Gastrointestinal Cancer (CGA-IGC) are proud to announce the granting of the second ‘Early Career Award’ to further the advancement of patient care and support for individuals and families affected by hereditary cancer syndromes. This research grant aims to drive progress in science, clinical care, and advocacy specifically geared toward patients with inherited colorectal cancer syndromes, familial colorectal cancer, and early-onset colorectal cancer (EAO CRC).  

The 2023 CGA-IGC and Fight CRC ‘Early Career Award’ is being granted to Dr. Alessandro Mannucci of the Beckman Research Institute. Dr. Mannucci’s work is dedicated to gastrointestinal cancer, with a focus on hereditary cancer syndromes and early-age onset cancers. The awarded research project will center on, "a novel blood test – one that is pragmatic for clinical settings, cost-effective, patient-friendly, and sensitive in detecting EAO CRC." 

By 2030, colorectal cancer is poised to emerge as the leading cause of cancer-related fatalities among individuals under 50 years of age. This alarming trend is exacerbated by the fact approximately 5-10% of colorectal cancer cases have a hereditary component, and up to 25% of all colorectal cancer (CRC) cases are attributed to a high familial risk. Recognizing the urgent need to address this growing health concern, Dr. Mannucci is pioneering research endeavors aimed at enhancing the care provided to patients with advanced colorectal polyps who face an increased familial risk of CRC. Future avenues of investigation will involve expanding the study to encompass multiple healthcare centers and other high-risk CRC diagnoses. 

“We are honored to grant the 'Early Career Award' alongside our partners at CGA-IGC supporting groundbreaking research in early-age onset colorectal cancer,” said Anjee Davis, Fight CRC President. “Dr. Alessandro Mannucci's innovative work in developing a non-invasive biomarker for early-onset colorectal cancer is a beacon of hope for patients and their families. This 'Early Career Award' reinforces our shared commitment to driving progress in science, clinical care, and advocacy, ultimately enhancing the well-being of those affected by this disease. Our partnership is dedicated to making a real and lasting impact." 

"We greatly appreciate our continued partnership with Fight CRC, which supports our shared mission to address the rising tide of early-onset colorectal cancer,” said Dr. Peter P. Stanich, CGA-IGC President. “Routine screening remains challenging despite reducing the CRC screening age to 45, and new options are needed. We are excited by Dr. Mannucci’s study goal to develop non-invasive biomarkers as an exciting step to identify a noninvasive, patient-friendly screening test. We look forward to our continued collaboration with Fight CRC to support young leaders contributing to breakthrough research endeavors that will have a huge impact on the affected patients and their families.”  

In partnership, CGA-IGC and Fight CRC will host an event to officially announce the award on October 26, 2023 at the CGA-IGC Annual Conference in Las Vegas, Nevada. Their shared mission is to enhance the well-being of patients and their families by ensuring state-of-the-art research and clinical care paradigms inform the development of patient support tools and drive policy changes in an equitable and inclusive manner. 

To learn more about CGA-IGC and Fight CRC, please visit cgaigc.com and fightcrc.org.