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Can a shorter radiation course spare the rectum in rectal cancer?

NCT ID NCT04246684

NEW Ongoing ⭐️ CURE ⭐️ Sponsor: Prof. Dr. med. Claus Rödel Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

First seen Aug 17, 2026 · Last updated Aug 17, 2026

Summary

This phase 3 trial tests two different ways of using radiation before chemotherapy in people with stage III rectal cancer. One group gets a short course of radiation, the other gets standard chemoradiation, both followed by chemotherapy. The goal is to see if either approach can shrink the tumor enough that some patients can avoid surgery entirely and keep their rectum, a strategy called watch-and-wait. The study focuses on patients with intermediate or high-risk features seen on MRI, and it will compare how often the rectum can be preserved while keeping the cancer from coming back.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance
Radiotherapy (short-course or chemoradiotherapy) followed by chemotherapy, with possible watch-and-wait instead of surgery
What this could lead to
If successful, this approach could allow more people with rectal cancer to keep their rectum and avoid major surgery, while maintaining good cancer control.
What could go wrong
The trial is large but still experimental. Not everyone will respond completely, and some may still need surgery or face side effects from the intense treatment.

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.

rectal carcinoma rectal neoplasm rectum adenocarcinoma

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

RECTAL CANCER STAGE III

Contacts and locations

Locations

  • "St. Bernward" Clincal Center Hildesheim

    Hildesheim, Lower Saxony, 31134, Germany

  • Alexianer Krefeld GmbH / Maria Hilf Krankenhaus

    Krefeld, 47805, Germany

  • Brother clinic St. Josef, Paderborn

    Paderborn, North Rhine-Westphalia, 33098, Germany

  • CaritasClinic Saarbrücken

    Saarbrücken, Saarland, 66113, Germany

  • Clincal Center "Bogenhausen" Munich

    München, Bavaria, 81925, Germany

  • Clincal Center "St. Marien" Amberg

    Amberg, Bavaria, 92224, Germany

  • Clincal Center Chemnitz

    Chemnitz, Saxony, 09113, Germany

  • Clincal Center Darmstadt

    Darmstadt, Hesse, 64283, Germany

  • Clincal Center Esslingen

    Esslingen am Neckar, Baden-Wurttemberg, 73730, Germany

  • Clincal Center Helios Bad Saarrow

    Bad Saarow, Brandenburg, 15526, Germany

  • Clincal Center Helios Berlin Buch

    Berlin, State of Berlin, 13125, Germany

  • Clinic Bayreuth GmbH

    Bayreuth, Bavaria, 95445, Germany

  • Clinic Fulda

    Fulda, Hesse, 36043, Germany

  • Clinic Lippe GmbH (Lemgo/Detmold)

    Detmold, North Rhine-Westphalia, 32756, Germany

  • Clinic Maria Hilf GmbH

    Mönchengladbach, North Rhine-Westphalia, 41063, Germany

  • Clinic Nordoberpfalz AG, Clinic Weiden

    Weiden, Bavaria, 92637, Germany

  • Clinic North West gGmbH Frankfurt

    Frankfurt am Main, Hesse, 60488, Germany

  • Clinic Ostlab, Staufenclinic Schwaeb.Gmuend, Mutlangen

    Mutlangen, Baden-Wurttemberg, 73557, Germany

  • Clinic Sankt Georg gGmbH, Leipzig

    Leipzig, Saxony, 04129, Germany

  • Clinic Stuttgart

    Stuttgart, Baden-Wurttemberg, 70174, Germany

  • Clinic Wolfsburg

    Wolfsburg, Lower Saxony, 38440, Germany

  • Clinical Center "Essen Mitte"

    Essen, North Rhine-Westphalia, 45136, Germany

  • Clinical Center "Mutterhaus" Trier

    Trier, Rhineland-Palatinate, 54290, Germany

  • Clinical Center Coburg

    Coburg, Bavaria, 96450, Germany

  • DRK Clincal Centers North Hessen Kassel

    Kassel, Hesse, 34121, Germany

  • Department of Radiooncology

    Frankfurt, Frankfurt, 60590, Germany

  • Dietrich Bonhoeffer Klinik

    Neubrandenburg, 17036, Germany

  • Ev. Waldkrankenhaus, Spandau,

    Berlin, State of Berlin, 13589, Germany

  • Evangelical Clinic Wesel

    Wesel, North Rhine-Westphalia, 46485, Germany

  • Helios Klinikum Berlin Emil von Behring

    Berlin, State of Berlin, 14650, Germany

  • Hematological-Oncological Practice Dr. Oleg Rubanov, Hameln

    Hamelin, Lower Saxony, 31785, Germany

  • Hospital "Barmherzige Brüder" Regensburg

    Regensburg, Bavaria, 93046, Germany

  • Hospital Bochum

    Bochum, North Rhine-Westphalia, 44892, Germany

  • Klinikum Bielefeld

    Bielefeld, 33604, Germany

  • Klinikverbund Allgäu

    Kempten (Allgäu), Bavaria, 87439, Germany

  • Lahn-Dill Clinics Wetzlar

    Wetzlar, Hesse, 35578, Germany

  • MVZ Oncological Cooperation Harz

    Goslar, Lower Saxony, 38642, Germany

  • Mathias-Spital, Rheine

    Rheine, North Rhine-Westphalia, 48431, Germany

  • Med. Statistik Saarbrücken GgR

    Saarbrücken, Saarbruecken, 66113, Germany

  • Medical Project Hannover

    Hanover, Lower Saxony, 30171, Germany

  • Medius Clincal Center Ostfildern-Ruit

    Ostfildern, Baden-Wurttemberg, 73760, Germany

  • Oncology Practice Dresden

    Dresden, Saxony, 01307, Germany

  • Oncology UnterEms, Leer

    Leer, Lower Saxony, 26789, Germany

  • Oncology in Medicinum Hildesheim

    Hildesheim, Lower Saxony, 31135, Germany

  • Onkologische Schwerpunktpraxis

    Darmstadt, 64287, Germany

  • Pi.Tri-Studien GmbH, Offenburg

    Offenburg, Baden-Wurttemberg, 77654, Germany

  • Pius Hospital, Oldenburg

    Oldenburg, Lower Saxony, 25121, Germany

  • Praxis für Hämatologie und Onkologie

    Giessen, 35392, Germany

  • Prosper Hospital Recklinghausen

    Recklinghausen, North Rhine-Westphalia, 45659, Germany

  • Radiotherapy Practice Dr. A. Schreiber, Dresden

    Dresden, Saxony, 01067, Germany

  • Sana Clinical Center Offenbach

    Offenbach, Hesse, 63069, Germany

  • Schwarzwald-Baar-Kliniken

    Villingen-Schwenningen, Villingen-Schwenningen, 78052, Germany

  • St. Josef Hospital of the catholic clinic Bochum

    Bochum, North Rhine-Westphalia, 44791, Germany

  • St. Vincenz Hospital Paderborn

    Paderborn, North Rhine-Westphalia, 33098, Germany

  • Technical University Clinic Munich

    München, Bavaria, 81675, Germany

  • Technical University Munich

    München, Bavaria, 81675, Germany

  • Uniklinik Schleswig Holstein

    Lübeck, 23538, Germany

  • University Clinic Erlangen

    Erlangen, Bavaria, 91054, Germany

  • University Clinic Essen

    Essen, North Rhine-Westphalia, 45122, Germany

  • University Clinic Freiburg

    Freiburg im Breisgau, Baden-Wurttemberg, 79106, Germany

  • University Clinic Göttingen

    Göttingen, Lower Saxony, 37075, Germany

  • University Clinic Kiel

    Kiel, Schleswig-Holstein, 24105, Germany

  • University Clinic Leipzig

    Leipzig, Saxony, 04103, Germany

  • University Clinic Magdeburg

    Magdeburg, Saxony-Anhalt, 39120, Germany

  • University Clinic Mainz

    Mainz, Rhineland-Palantine, 55116, Germany

  • University Clinic Mannheim

    Mannheim, Baden-Wurttemberg, 68167, Germany

  • University Clinic Marburg

    Marburg, Hesse, 35043, Germany

  • University Clinic Oldenburg

    Oldenburg, Lower Saxony, 26133, Germany

  • University Clinic Regensburg

    Regensburg, Bavaria, 93053, Germany

  • University Clinic Rostock

    Rostock, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, 18059, Germany

  • University Clinic Ulm

    Ulm, Baden-Wurttemberg, 89081, Germany

  • University Clinic Würzburg

    Würzburg, Bavaria, 97080, Germany

  • University Clinic for Radioncology Tübingen

    Tübingen, Baden-Wurttemberg, 72076, Germany

  • Universitätsklinikum Halle

    Halle, 06120, Germany

  • Vivantes Clincial Center in Friedrichshain

    Berlin, State of Berlin, 10249, Germany

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