Can a gut bacteria transplant help immunotherapy wipe out rectal cancer before surgery?
NCT ID NCT07738042
First seen Jul 30, 2026 · Last updated Jul 31, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This trial is testing whether transplanting healthy gut bacteria can boost the power of immunotherapy and chemoradiotherapy in people with a common type of locally advanced rectal cancer. Participants receive a combination of sintilimab (an immunotherapy drug), CAPOX chemotherapy, short-course radiation, and intestinal bacteria transplants before surgery. The main goal is to see if this combination can make the tumor completely disappear by the time of surgery.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- a combination of sintilimab (an immunotherapy drug), CAPOX chemotherapy (oxaliplatin and capecitabine), short-course radiotherapy, and intestinal bacteria transplantation
- What this could lead to
- If it works, this approach could increase the chance of a complete tumor disappearance before surgery, potentially allowing more patients to avoid permanent colostomy.
- What could go wrong
- This is an early-phase, single-arm trial with only 46 participants, so results may not apply broadly. The combination carries risks of immune-related side effects, infection from bacteria transplantation, and chemotherapy toxicity.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
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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
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Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute & Hospital
Tianjin, China
More trials for these conditions
Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.
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- New drug combo may help avoid surgery in rectal cancer patients
- New combo therapy aims to skip radiation for rectal cancer patients