Federal Project Grant Award Summary

The University of Rochester received a $345,413 Project Grant award from the National Cancer Institute (NCI) under the Cancer Cause and Prevention Research program (CFDA 93.393) on June 10, 2026, with a completion date of May 31, 2031. This research initiative addresses the critical gap in lung cancer screening (LCS) uptake among high-risk populations by developing and testing interventions specifically designed for emergency department (ED) settings. The project will conduct a randomized clinical trial to evaluate the efficacy of text messaging and facilitated referral strategies in promoting LCS adoption among ED patients who are eligible but have never been screened—a population representing over 2.3 million individuals annually who are at elevated risk due to smoking history, lower socioeconomic status, limited insurance coverage, or other demographic factors.

The research deliverables include identification and recruitment protocols for high-risk LCS-eligible patients within ED environments, followed by implementation and evaluation of a 2x2 randomized study design comparing four intervention arms: basic referral with written materials, basic referral combined with behavioral change-theory-based text messaging, facilitated referral with direct program requisition submission, and a combined approach. The project aims to produce a low-cost, scalable intervention model that can be deployed across multiple ED settings with regional LCS program capacity, ultimately contributing to improved early lung cancer detection and reduced cancer mortality disparities among underserved populations.