Could Pre-Surgery chemo boost survival in colon cancer?
NCT ID NCT07413146
First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026
Summary
This study compares giving chemotherapy before surgery versus standard surgery-first treatment for people with stage II or III colon cancer that has a high CEA level. About 100 adults aged 18-70 will be randomly assigned to one of two groups. The goal is to see if pre-surgery chemo improves the chance of staying cancer-free for two years. Participants also receive free advanced genetic testing of their tumor and blood to monitor for remaining cancer cells.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
-
Not a phased trial
Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.
- Participants
-
About 100 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Expected to start
-
Feb 2026
An estimate. Start dates often move.
- Expected to finish
-
Jul 2027
An estimate. End dates often move.
- Lead sponsor
-
Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
-
18 to 70 years
- Sex
-
Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
-
Not accepted
This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: Participants must meet all of the following criteria: Age 18 to 70 years (inclusive) at the time of written informed consent. ECOG performance status 0-1, without deterioration within 2 weeks prior to enrollment; anticipated life expectancy ≥12 weeks. Histologically or cytologically confirmed colon adenocarcinoma, non-MSI-H/dMMR, with pathologic stage (AJCC/UICC TNM 8th edition) of: High-risk stage II, or Stage III. High-risk stage II features include: T4, poor/undifferentiated histology (high grade; excluding MSI-H), lymphovascular invasion, perineural invasion, preoperative bowel obstruction or tumor perforation, positive/unknown margin status, insufficient margin clearance, \<12 lymph nodes examined, or high-grade tumor budding. Tumor location consistent with colon cancer: distal tumor margin ≥12 cm from the anal verge on preoperative endoscopy. Baseline serum CEA \>5 ng/mL prior to treatment. No evidence of distant metastasis (distant organ and/or distant lymph node metastasis) based on comprehensive clinical evaluation. Ability to provide required clinical data for study collection. Ability to provide adequate fresh tumor tissue from endoscopy and/or surgery for WES/NGS to develop an individualized ctDNA MRD panel, and ability to provide required blood samples for ctDNA testing (baseline, postoperative \~day 7, postoperative \~day 30). Candidate for curative-intent R0 resection. Willing and able to comply with the protocol schedule, including regular follow-up visits and necessary treatments, and provides written informed consent. Exclusion Criteria: Participants will be excluded if any of the following apply: Prior or concurrent other malignant tumor. Any severe comorbidity that, in the investigator's judgment, may significantly affect follow-up or short-term survival. Any other medical condition, or social/psychological circumstance, that in the investigator's judgment makes the participant unsuitable for the study. MSI-H/dMMR tumor. Evidence of metastatic disease by pathology, clinical assessment, or imaging, including isolated distant lesions, distant disease, or non-contiguous intraperitoneal metastasis. Multiple primary colon cancers. Underwent open surgery at a non-colon site within 14 days prior to enrollment. Unable to provide required tumor tissue for WES/NGS or personalized MRD panel development, personalized MRD panel customization failure, or unable to provide required blood samples (baseline, postoperative \~day 7, postoperative \~day 30). History of blood transfusion within 2 weeks prior to surgery or intraoperatively. Unable to undergo contrast-enhanced CT or MRI for routine clinical follow-up. Fever ≥38°C within the past 7 days, or clinically significant active infection (including active tuberculosis), or active fungal/bacterial/viral infection requiring systemic therapy. Inadequate bone marrow reserve or organ function meeting any of the following laboratory abnormalities (within 1 week prior to testing without corrective treatment): ANC \< 1.5 × 10⁹/L Platelets \< 90 × 10⁹/L Hemoglobin \< 90 g/L (\<9 g/dL) ALT \> 3 × ULN AST \> 3 × ULN or total bilirubin \> 1.5 × ULN Creatinine \> 1.5 × ULN or creatinine clearance \< 45 mL/min (Cockcroft-Gault) Albumin \< 28 g/L Pregnant or breastfeeding, or planning pregnancy during the study period. Any other condition that, in the investigator's judgment, indicates the participant should not participate.
Get updates
Get notified about this study
Sign up to get updates when this study changes or when new studies for Colon adenocarcinoma are added.
By submitting, you agree to our Terms of use
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.
How to take part
Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.
-
The official record
ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.
-
A doctor treating you
A doctor who knows your case can contact a study site on your behalf, and can tell you whether this study is worth pursuing at all.
More trials for these conditions
Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.
- Can a platform trial match the right drug combo to each tumor?
- Blood test may spot colon cancer return months before scans
- Can a probiotic shield patients from Post-Surgery infections?
- Can radiation plus immunotherapy make colon tumors disappear before surgery?
- Gut bacteria may shield nerves from chemo damage – a trial puts it to the test
- Blood test may end painful bone marrow biopsies for myeloma patients