Robot vs. transanal surgery: which is better for low rectal cancer?
NCT ID NCT07651553
First seen Jun 26, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This study compares two modern surgical techniques for removing low rectal cancer: transanal total mesorectal excision (taTME) and robot-assisted total mesorectal excision (RTME). Researchers want to see which method leads to fewer complications and less need to switch to open surgery. The trial will enroll 216 adults with early-stage rectal cancer and follow them for three years to check for cancer recurrence and survival.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- surgical procedure (transanal total mesorectal excision vs robot-assisted total mesorectal excision)
- What this could lead to
- If this trial succeeds, it could show that one surgical method is safer and more effective for removing low rectal cancer, helping surgeons choose the best approach for patients.
- What could go wrong
- This is a relatively small, early-stage study (216 participants) comparing two established techniques. The results may not apply to all patients, and individual outcomes depend on many factors beyond the surgical method.
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
-
the sixth affiliated hospital of Sun Yat-sen University
RECRUITINGGuangzhou, Guangdong, 510655, China
More trials for these conditions
Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.
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