New scan may tell rectal cancer patients if they can skip surgery
NCT ID NCT06608537
First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026
Summary
This completed phase 2 study tested whether a new type of PET scan (FAPI-PET/CT) can accurately predict if rectal cancer has completely disappeared after a combination of short-course radiation, immunotherapy, and chemotherapy. Fifty-two patients with locally advanced rectal cancer received the treatment and then underwent both standard FDG-PET and FAPI-PET scans before surgery. The goal was to see if the FAPI scan could reliably identify patients who achieved a pathological complete response, potentially allowing them to avoid surgery and preserve their rectum.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.
Active substance
18F-FAPI-42 radiotracer (for PET/CT imaging)
What this could lead to
If successful, this imaging method could help doctors accurately identify which rectal cancer patients have a complete response to treatment, allowing more patients to avoid surgery and preserve their rectum.
What could go wrong
This is a small, single-center phase 2 study with only 52 participants, so results may not apply to all patients. The imaging technique is still experimental and not yet standard practice.
Disclaimer
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the original study
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Summaries may miss details or leave out important information. Before applying or accepting participation, make sure you have read and understood the full study. Curemydisease.com takes no responsibility whatsoever for anything missed, misunderstood, or acted upon as a result of our summary — we know it does not capture everything.
This is a summary of the original study . Summaries may miss details or leave out important information. Before applying or accepting participation, make sure you have read and understood the full study. Curemydisease.com takes no responsibility whatsoever for anything missed, misunderstood, or acted upon as a result of our summary — we know it does not capture everything.
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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
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Locations
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Department of colorectal surgery, the Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University
Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510000, China