Can diet and vitamin c supercharge rectal cancer treatment?
NCT ID NCT07765667
First seen Aug 14, 2026 · Last updated Aug 14, 2026
Summary
This phase 2 trial is investigating whether adding a ketogenic diet and/or high-dose intravenous vitamin C to standard chemoradiotherapy and immunotherapy can improve outcomes for patients with locally advanced rectal cancer that is mismatch repair proficient (pMMR/MSS). The study will enroll 100 adults aged 18-80 with this specific type of rectal cancer. Participants will receive standard short-course radiation, chemotherapy, and an immunotherapy drug called serplulimab, with some also following a ketogenic diet or receiving vitamin C infusions. The main goal is to see if these additions increase the rate of a complete pathological response, meaning no cancer cells remain after treatment.
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 a ketogenic diet and/or high-dose intravenous vitamin C added to standard chemoradiotherapy and immunotherapy (serplulimab, a PD-1 inhibitor)
- What this could lead to
- If effective, this approach could increase the chance of a complete tumor response before surgery, potentially improving outcomes for patients with a hard-to-treat form of rectal cancer.
- What could go wrong
- This is an early-phase trial, so the added benefits are uncertain. The diet and vitamin C may not enhance treatment, and there is a risk of increased side effects from combining multiple therapies.
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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Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University
Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
More trials for these conditions
Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.
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- Can a beetroot drink spot dangerous surgical leaks before they turn deadly?