Immunotherapy boosts standard treatment for rectal cancer in new trial
NCT ID NCT06312982
First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026
Summary
This clinical trial is testing whether adding the immunotherapy drug tislelizumab to standard chemoradiation helps people with locally advanced rectal cancer. The study involves 375 participants who will receive either the combination or standard treatment alone. The main goal is to see if the combination leads to a higher rate of complete tumor disappearance and allows more patients to avoid surgery and keep their rectum.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- tislelizumab (immunotherapy drug) plus capecitabine and oxaliplatin (chemotherapy drugs)
- What this could lead to
- If successful, this combination could increase the chance of eliminating the tumor without surgery, allowing patients to keep their rectum and avoid a permanent colostomy.
- What could go wrong
- This is an early-to-mid stage trial, so the added benefit of tislelizumab is unproven. Immunotherapy can cause immune-related side effects like inflammation of the lungs, gut, or skin.
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
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Phase 2/3
Runs two stages together: whether the treatment works, then large-scale confirmation.
- Participants
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About 375 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Started
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Mar 2024
- Expected to finish
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Dec 2026
An estimate. End dates often move.
- Lead sponsor
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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
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18 to 75 years
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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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: 1. Signed a written informed consent form and volunteered to join the study; 2. .Age: 18-75 years old, male or female; 3. Pathohistologically confirmed rectal adenocarcinoma, along with immunohistochemical results of pMMR or genetic test results of MSS; 4. The baseline clinical stage assessed by MRI was T1-2N1-2M0 or T3N0-2M0, MRF (-), lateral lymph nodes (-); 5. The lower tumor margin is 10cm away from the anal margin; 6. Surgical resection; 7. Ability to swallow tablets normally; 8. ECOG PS 0-1; 9. Have not received any anti-tumor treatment for rectal cancer, including radiotherapy, chemotherapy, surgery, etc.; 10. Plan to undergo surgery after the completion of the neoadjuvant therapy; 11. No contraindications to surgery; 12. Main organ function is normal. Exclusion Criteria: 1. Previous history of allergy to monoclonal antibodies, any component of tislelizumab,and capecitabine; 2. Previously has received or is receiving any of the following treatments: A)Any tumor-specific surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, targeted therapy, immunotherapy, etc; B)Treatment with immunosuppressive drugs or systemic hormones within 2 weeks of first use (dose\> 10mg / day prednisone or equivalent dose); inhaled or topical steroids and dose\> 10mg / day prednisone or equivalent dose of adrenocorticoid replacement in the absence of active autoimmune disease; C)Having received a live attenuated vaccine within 4 weeks before the first use of the study drug; D)Major surgery or severe trauma within 4 weeks before the first use of study drug; 3. History of any active autoimmune or autoimmune disease, including but not limited to: interstitial pneumonia, enteritis, hepatitis, hypophysitis, vasculitis, nephritis, hyperthyroidism, hypothyroidism (considered after hormone replacement therapy); patients with psoriasis or asthma / allergy in childhood and adults without any intervention, but patients requiring medical intervention with bronchodilators should not be included; 4. A history of immunodeficiency, including a positive HIV test, or other acquired or congenital immunodeficiency disease, or a history of organ transplantation or allogeneic bone marrow transplantation; 5. Not well controlled cardiac clinical symptoms or disease, including but not limited to: such as (1) grade NYHA II above heart failure, (2) unstable angina, (3) myocardial infarction within 1 year, (4) clinical meaningful supraventricular or ventricular arrhythmia without clinical intervention or clinical intervention still poor control; 6. Severe infection (Grade CTCAE\> 2) within 4 weeks prior to the first use of study drug, Such as severe pneumonia, bacteremia, infection complications requiring hospitalization; Baseline chest imaging indicated the presence of active lung inflammation, presence of symptoms and signs and signs of infection within 14 days prior to the first administration of study drug or need for oral or intravenous antibiotics, Except for the preventive use of antibiotics; Found active tuberculosis infection by history or CT, Or those with a history of active tuberculosis infection within 1 year prior to enrollment, Or those with a history of active tuberculosis infection more than 1 year ago but without formal treatment; 7. Presence of active hepatitis B (HBV DNA 2000 IU / mL or 104copies / mL), hepatitis C (positive for hepatitis C antibody, and HCV RNA above the lower limit of detection of the analytical method); 8. A diagnosis of other malignancies within 5 years prior to the first use of study drug, unless a malignancy with low risk of metastasis or death (5-year survival\> 90%), such as adequately treated skin basal cell carcinoma or squamous cell carcinoma in situ, are considered; 9. Women in pregnancy or lactation; 10. Other factors, as judged by the investigator, may lead to forced termination of the study, such as other serious illness (including mental illness), alcohol, substance abuse, family or social factors, which may affect the safety or compliance of the subject.
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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.
How to take part
Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.
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The places running it
2 sites. The list below names each one and where it is.
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The official record
ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.
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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.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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Beijing Friendship Hospital
RECRUITINGBeijing, Beijing Municipality, 100050, China
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Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University
RECRUITINGBeijing, Beijing Municipality, 100050, China
More trials for these conditions
Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.
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- Can drug cocktail spare rectal cancer patients from surgery?
- Can two immunotherapy drugs help rectal cancer patients skip pelvic radiation?
- MRI and microbes: a new way to predict rectal cancer outcomes?
- Can a 16-Hour fast supercharge immunotherapy against rectal cancer?
- Can a new drug shield rectal cancer patients from Radiation's worst side effects?