Rectal Cancer Patients

Single-port versus multi-port robotic surgery for rectal cancer

A Phase I clinical trial that will investigate the safety and tolerability of combining the modified vaccinia virus BT-001 with systemic pembrolizumab in patients with localised pMMR rectal cancer

The purpose of this prospective, observational, multicenter study is to evaluate the impact of adjuvant radiotherapy or chemoradiotherapy on disease-free survival (DFS) in patients with pathological T1 (pT1) rectal cancer presenting with at least one high-risk histological factor, such as deep submucosal invasion, poor differentiation, tumor budding, lymphovascular invasion, or positive resection margins, after local surgical or endoscopic excision, including Endoscopic Submucosal Dissection (ESD), Transanal Minimally Invasive Surgery (TAMIS), or Transanal Endoscopic Microsurgery (TEM). The study focuses on a specific patient population that has refused standard radical surgery with Total Mesorectal Excision (TME) because of its potential impact on quality of life and postoperative morbidity. The primary objective is to assess whether organ-preserving local treatment strategies can provide an effective alternative by evaluating long-term oncologic outcomes, quality of life, and colostomy-free survival.

A randomized study of 131 patients. Patients with a clinical T2-3 N0-1 rectal cancer will be randomized to two arms (arm A: standard chemoradiation (45 Gy in 25 with concomitant 5-FU or Xeloda chemotherapy) and an external beam boost of 9 Gy compared to arm B: standard chemoradiation (45 Gy in 25 with concomitant 5-FU or Xeloda chemotherapy) and followed by a brachytherapy boost of 30 Gy in 3 fractions).

TME remains standard treatment for rectal cancer. Both Robotic TME and taTME are innovative surgical techniques with potential advantages in low rectal cancer. To date, no clinical studies have directly compared the conversion and complication rates between taTME and RTME in this population. Therefore, the investigators propose to conduct a prospective, randomized, parallel-controlled clinical trial comparing taTME with RTME for low rectal cancer, aiming to provide high-level evidence for surgical decision-making and benefit more patients.

This study is a prospective, multicenter, open-label, randomized controlled Phase II clinical trial enrolling patients with locally advanced rectal cancer who tested positive for YWHAB (tyrosine 3-monooxygenase/tryptophan 5-monooxygenase-activating protein β) prior to surgery. The trial aims to evaluate the efficacy of combining the mFOLFOX chemotherapy regimen with citrus flavonoid tablets (Aimilang) for neoadjuvant (preoperative) treatment. Treatment Regimen 4-6 cycles preoperatively, with each cycle lasting 14 days. Translated with DeepL.com (free version) Oxaliplatin: 85 mg/m² via 180-minute intravenous infusion on Day 1. Leucovorin: 400 mg/m² via 120-minute intravenous infusion on Day 1. 5-Fluorouracil: 2400 mg/m² via continuous intravenous infusion over 46 hours. Citrus flavonoid tablets (Aimailang) : 500 mg orally twice times daily (Days 1-14), administered with or without the chemotherapy regimen (depending on group assignment). Key Trial Design Features Dose Adjustments: Permitted during the trial based on patient tolerance. Discontinuation Criteria: Patients with disease progression during neoadjuvant therapy will cease study treatment and proceed to surgery or alternative therapies per local guidelines. Surgery may be initiated early if patients cannot tolerate the planned 6 cycles of neoadjuvant therapy. Patients receiving non-protocol anticancer therapies preoperatively will be withdrawn from the study. Postoperative Management: Post-treatment plans (e.g., continuation of mFOLFOX + Aimailang) are determined by the investigator. Control Group Restriction: Patients in the control arm are not permitted to self-administer citrus flavonoid tablets (Aimailang) during the trial. Any requirement for this medication must be discussed with the treating physician, who will decide on alternative therapies or trial withdrawal.

Rectal cancer accounts for approximately 40% of colorectal cancers. In France, there are 15,000 new cases per year, and the 5-year survival rate is 55% across all stages. Treatment involves surgical resection of the rectum, often combined with preoperative chemoradiotherapy and sometimes immunotherapy, depending on the tumor's immunohistochemical status. This treatment strategy has improved recurrence-free survival but is associated with long-term functional complications affecting the digestive, urological, gynecological, and sexual systems. Surgery causes anatomical changes and damage to the autonomic nervous system plexuses. Radiotherapy, for its part, causes pelvic inflammation with the development of fibrosis and potential vascular and nerve damage. Various disorders can arise as a result of these anatomical changes, such as erectile dysfunction in men; dyspareunia and vaginal dryness in women; urinary incontinence and impaired sexual quality of life in both sexes.

Neoadjuvant fluoropyrimidine-based chemoradiotherapy followed by total mesorectal excision (TME) is the standard of care for locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC); however, pathologic complete response (pCR) rates are low. Trifluridine/tipiracil (TAS-102) is a new oral anti-tumor oral formulation of nucleoside analogue, trifluridine (FTD), and a thymidine phosphorylase inhibitor, tipiracil (TPI). Previous studies have shown that TAS-102 has shown clinically relevant activity after fluoropyrimidine failure in colorectal cancer and may thus be of increased efficacy compared with current standard capecitabine chemoradiation. Also, a phase 2 trials conducted by our team have demonstrated that neoaduvant TAS-102 concurrent with long-course radiotherapy could lead to a high pCR rate of 32% with acceptable toxicity for LARC patients. Herein, we will conduct this multicenter, randomized controlled, phase III trial to explore the safety and efficacy benefit of TAS-102 concurrent with long-course radiotherapy for LARC.

This study is a multicenter, prospective, randomized, double-arm, Phase II clinical trial designed to evaluate the efficacy of short-term radiotherapy combined with Iparomlimab and Tuvonralimab (QL1706), Regorafenib, and CAPOX as neoadjuvant therapy for locally advanced rectal cancer. Additionally, the study seeks to explore the relationship between biomarkers in blood, urine, feces, and tumor tissue and treatment efficacy. Eligible participants (pMMR/MSS locally advanced rectal cancer) were randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to two groups, with randomization stratified by MRF (+ vs. -). Participants will: * Group A patients received two cycles of QL1706, regorafenib, and CAPOX induction therapy, followed by sequential short-course radiotherapy, and then continued with four cycles of QL1706, regorafenib, and CAPOX consolidation therapy. * Group B patients received short-course radiotherapy followed by six cycles of QL1706, regorafenib, and CAPOX consolidation therapy. After two cycles of neoadjuvant therapy in Group A and six cycles in Group B, efficacy was evaluated and decisions regarding surgery or watchful waiting were made based on efficacy.

To evaluate the prognostic impact of post-TNT pathological nodal status (ypN) on LRFS, DMFS, and OS, and compare it with that of primary tumor response

This study is for adults with locally advanced rectal cancer that has not spread to distant organs, and is classified as pMMR or MSS (which means it typically does not respond well to immunotherapy alone). The purpose is to see if a new combination of treatments given before surgery (neoadjuvant therapy) can more effectively shrink the tumor and increase the chance of curing the cancer or avoiding surgical removal of the rectum. The main things you will do in this study are: 1. Receive a Short Course of Radiation Therapy (5 treatments over 1 week). 2. After a 1-week break, receive a combination of three drugs: 1）Nal-IRI (a special form of the chemotherapy drug Irinotecan, designed to have fewer side effects) 2）Capecitabine (a chemotherapy pill) 3）Camrelizumab (an immunotherapy drug) 3. This drug combination is given in 8 cycles, with each cycle lasting 3 weeks. 4. After finishing all cycles, the doctors will carefully check how the tumor responded. The most important goal of this research is to see how many patients achieve a "Complete Response," which means: 1. No sign of cancer cells in the surgically removed tissue (Pathological Complete Response, pCR), or 2. No sign of cancer can be found through clinical exams, scans, and scopes, allowing the patient to avoid immediate surgery under a "Watch and Wait" strategy (Clinical Complete Response, cCR). Researchers will also monitor: 1. The safety of the treatment and its side effects. 2. How well the cancer is controlled over time (e.g., 3-year survival without cancer recurrence). 3. The rate of successful tumor removal and the rate of preserving the anus.

To evaluate the safety and preliminary efficacy of preoperative chemotherapy and PD-1 inhibitor Tislelizumab for Rectal Cancer patients.Go through laboratory and medical tests to verify eligibility to enter the study, receive the experimental combination of drugs CAPOX (Oxaliplatin and Capecitabine) for 3 cycles prior to surgery and undergo laboratory tests and study procedures on specified days during the study period, complete end of study evaluations and tests, and participate in post-study follow up every three months for three years.

Natural Orifice Specimen Extraction (NOSE) eliminates the need for additional abdominal incisions in minimally invasive colorectal procedures, potentially reducing the risk of wound complications and postoperative pain. In the context of restorative Total Mesorectal Excision (TME), single-stapling (SS) techniques facilitate NOSE through transanal rectal transection, as opposed to the conventional double-stapling technique. This study aims to explore the potential advantages of NOSE combined with SS anastomosis compared to conventional abdominal extraction in minimally invasive restorative TME.

This study is a prospective, single-arm, phase II superiority trial to determine whether a selective organ-preserving strategy based on immediate intra-operative frozen-section results can achieve favorable 2-year local control while lowering morbidity in patients with low rectal cancer (tumor ≤5 cm from the anus) who have a near clinical complete response (near-cCR) or partial response (residual tumor \<2 cm) after radiation therapy. Population: Adults with primary rectal adenocarcinoma located ≤5 cm from the anal verge who, after neoadjuvant radiotherapy, are judged to have near-cCR or partial response (residual tumor \<2 cm). Intervention: All participants undergo local excision under general anesthesia. The specimen is sent for intra-operative frozen section. ypT0-1 on frozen section → procedure concluded; patient enters watch-and-wait. ypT2-3 or R1 on frozen section → immediate completion total mesorectal excision (TME). Frozen-section ypT1-2 but final paraffin section up-staged to ypT2-3 or R1 → elective TME within 8 weeks. Primary Endpoint: a composite outcome of 2-year local recurrence rate, surgical complications (≤30 days), and long-term functional impairment (anorectal, urogenital, and quality-of-life scales). Secondary Endpoints: Agreement between intra-operative frozen-section pathology and final paraffin-section pathology, 3-year disease-free survival (DFS), 3-year overall survival (OS), surgery-sparing rate, post-operative recovery metrics, Quality-of-life scores. Estimated Enrollment: 27 participants.

The goal of this clinical trial is to see if adding a weight loss medication (GLP-1 receptor drug) to patients with an increased BMI receiving treatment for rectal cancer prior to surgery (total neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy) improves cancer outcomes. The main questions it aims to answer is 1. Does the drug increase weight loss in rectal cancer patients with a high BMI 2. Does the drug improve response rates to chemotherapy and radiotherapy 3. Does the drug improve survival outcomes and if cancer returns Researchers will compare this drug in one group against a group of patients receiving preoperative total neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy without the drug Patients will be required to 1\) take the GLP-1 receptor agonist drug during TNT or just having TNT alone as per standard hospital protocols Body weight will be measured at three predefined time points: 1. Baseline: Prior to initiation of semaglutide or TNT 2. Pre-TNT: Start of TNT (for the intervention arm, this is 4 weeks after semaglutide initiation) 3. Post-TNT: Within 7 days following completion of TNT and prior to definitive surgery Patients will complete their treatment and go on to have surgery as per standard methods for treating rectal cancer

This study is a single-center, prospective, randomized, double-arm, Phase II clinical trial designed to evaluate the efficacy of radiotherapy combined with CAPOX, and Iparomlimab and Tuvonralimab (QL1706) as neoadjuvant therapy for locally advanced rectal cancer. Additionally, the study seeks to explore the relationship between biomarkers in blood and tumor tissue and treatment efficacy. Eligible participants (locally advanced rectal cancer) were randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to two groups. Participants will: Group A patients received radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and immunotherapy. During the first week of radiotherapy, they received one cycle of CAPOX concurrent chemoradiotherapy. Two weeks after the completion of radiotherapy, they continued with four cycles of CAPOX combined with QL1706 immunotherapy. Group B patients received radiotherapy and chemotherapy. After completing the concurrent radiotherapy and chemotherapy, they rested for 2-3 weeks before completing 3 cycles of CAPOX consolidation chemotherapy. Two to three weeks after the completion of neoadjuvant therapy in groups A and B, the efficacy was evaluated, and a decision was made on whether to proceed with surgery or watchful waiting based on the efficacy.

Research Objective:To investigate the efficacy and safety of the "total neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy combined with immunotherapy" regimen for the treatment of locally advanced rectal cancer with high-risk features for recurrence. Study Design:A single-arm, multicenter clinical study. Study Population: Patients with locally advanced rectal cancer presenting with high-risk features for local recurrence.

This study aims to evaluate the efficacy and safety of short-course radiotherapy combined with CAPOX plus bevacizumab with or without a PD-1 inhibitor in patients with locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC). The hypothesis is that the addition of immunotherapy (PD-1 inhibitor) can significantly improve the complete response (CR) rate and enhance local control while reducing the incidence of distant metastasis. This study will compare the effects of sequential chemoradiotherapy and targeted therapy with or without immunotherapy following short-course radiotherapy, aiming to explore the optimal regimen for total neoadjuvant therapy.

This prospective, multi-centre, randomised clinical trial aims to compare the effect of neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy versus primary surgery on circulating tumor cells (CTCs) in patients with stage II-III rectal cancer without circumferential resection mar-gin involvement. CTCs are considered a promising biomarker for disease dissemination and treatment response. Patients will be randomized to either primary surgical resection with total mesorectal excision or long-course neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy followed by surgery. Serial blood samples will be collected at predefined time points to assess the presence and dynamics of CTCs. Secondary endpoints include perioperative morbidity and mortality, local recurrence rate, disease-free survival, and overall survival. The results of this study may provide new insights into the prognostic role of CTCs and contribute to optimising treatment strategies for rectal cancer.

The prospective study will focus on patients undergoing multimodal treatment for rectal cancer. The main objective of the study will be to monitor changes in circulating tumor cells (CTCs) in the peripheral blood of patients during multimodal treatment. For each patient enrolled in the study, peripheral blood samples will be collected at specified time intervals to determine the presence and quantity of CTCs. The CTCs levels will be compared among rectal cancer patients with neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy and without neoadjuvant chemotherapy.

Earlier studies have shown that many patients (up to 30%) who have had a major surgery for rectal cancer, called a rectum amputation (where the entire rectum and anus are removed and the person gets a permanent stoma), still have trouble sitting and walking three years after the surgery. These problems are then seen as long-term or chronic. WASA is a randomized multicenter international study that will test a way to reduce these problems. It will start in fall 2025 and go on for 3.5 years. About 300 patients will take part. The patients will be randomly divided into two groups. One group will get guided online training twice a week, specially made for their needs. The other group will get information about the World Health Organization's (WHO) general advice on physical activity. The idea is that special training during the first year after surgery will reduce problems with walking and sitting. If the hypothesis can be confirmed, it could lead to an easy and low-cost way to help many rectal cancer patients feel and function better.

Clinical nodal staging for rectal cancer tumours in early stages, is today shown to be unreliable and no precise or accurate methods exist. Thus, there is an unmet need for better clinical staging of rectal cancer in early stages. If new imaging techniques for clinical staging of early rectal cancer are developed an opportunity for increased treatment by local excision and decreased unnecessary radical surgery would be possible. NanoEcho Particle-1 (NEP-1, Ferumoxtran Lyophilisate 20 mg Fe/mL) will be used, in combination with NanoEcho Imaging Device, to enhance the signal in the detection and identification of possible spread of rectal cancer to nearby rectal regional lymph nodes by magnetomotive ultrasound (MMUS) technology. NEP-1 is an ultrasmall superparamagnetic iron oxide (USPIO)-based contrast agent. It belongs to the specific contrast agents-group, which are specific to reticuloendothelial system (liver, spleen, lymph nodes, bone marrow), mainly represented by iron oxide nanoparticles coated with macromolecules such as dextran in the presence of adjuvants (mineral salts, polyhydric alcohols, etc.). It belongs to the USPIO sub-group (with a mean particle diameter of 30 nm. The NanoEcho Imaging Device is based on the MMUS technology. It aims to identify possible spread of rectal cancer to nearby rectal regional lymph nodes by visualisation of the movement, generated by the nanoparticles (nTrace). The iron oxide-based nanoparticles, NEP-1, are administered submucosally at four separate administration sites locally in rectum, close to the suspected tumour area. After some time allowing the particles to spread, the MMUS probe, dressed in a probe cover with ultrasound gel inside, is inserted into the rectum. The nanoparticles are set in motion by a magnetic field, introduced by a rotating magnet located inside the probe. The motion of the tissue, the so-called tissue displacement, is detected with ultrasound and called NanoEcho visualisation of the movement generated by the nanoparticles (nTrace) and is visualised on the screen of the NanoEcho Imaging Device. The higher the concentration of the nanoparticles, the stronger the nTrace signal. Based on the distribution pattern of the particles, the system aims to support the user in distinguishing between healthy and metastatic lymph nodes located nearby the tumour within the rectal region. Part A In Part A (healthy volunteers) of the trial, NEP-1 will be administered on a single occasion, followed by four MMUS-assessments, in four ascending dose groups of three participants each. Part B In Part B (rectal cancer patients) of the trial, NEP-1 will be administered on a single occasion, followed by a MMUS assessment in a maximum of ten patients with rectal cancer. The dose level of NanoEcho Particle-1 (Ferumoxtran) to be used and the timepoint for the MMUS assessment will be decided based on Part A.