Can adding chemo after radiation help older adults with rectal cancer avoid surgery?
NCT ID NCT07118800
First seen Jul 24, 2026 · Last updated Jul 24, 2026
Summary
This phase 3 trial is testing whether adding a three-month course of FOLFOX4s chemotherapy after short-course radiotherapy improves outcomes compared to radiotherapy alone in adults aged 75 and older with locally advanced rectal cancer. The study aims to see if the combination can shrink tumors enough to avoid major surgery. Participants are randomly assigned to receive either short-course radiation alone or radiation followed by chemotherapy, with close monitoring for tumor response.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- FOLFOX4s chemotherapy (oxaliplatin, folinic acid, fluorouracil) after short-course radiotherapy
- What this could lead to
- If successful, this approach could offer a more effective, less invasive treatment option for elderly patients with rectal cancer, potentially avoiding surgery.
- What could go wrong
- Adding chemotherapy after radiation may increase side effects in older adults. The trial is still testing whether the combination is truly better than radiation alone.
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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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Study contacts
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Contact
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