New triple therapy aims to wipe out rectal cancer before surgery
NCT ID NCT07663071
First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026
Summary
This phase II trial is testing whether adding an experimental immunotherapy drug (retlirafusp alfa) to short-course radiation and standard chemotherapy can completely eliminate locally advanced rectal cancer before surgery. The study plans to enroll 44 adults aged 18-70 with stage T3N+ or T4 rectal cancer. The main goal is to see how many patients have no cancer left after treatment, either on scans or after surgery.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.
Active substance
Retlirafusp alfa (an experimental immunotherapy drug) combined with short-course radiotherapy and CAPOX chemotherapy (oxaliplatin and capecitabine)
What this could lead to
If this works, it could offer a more effective way to shrink or eliminate rectal cancer before surgery, potentially improving survival and reducing the need for more aggressive treatments.
What could go wrong
This is a small, early-phase trial with only 44 patients and no comparison group, so results may not apply broadly. The combination of treatments may cause significant side effects, and the experimental drug may not improve outcomes over standard care.
Disclaimer
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This is a summary of
the original study
.
Summaries may miss details or leave out important information. Before applying or accepting participation, make sure you have read and understood the full study. Curemydisease.com takes no responsibility whatsoever for anything missed, misunderstood, or acted upon as a result of our summary — we know it does not capture everything.
This is a summary of the original study . Summaries may miss details or leave out important information. Before applying or accepting participation, make sure you have read and understood the full study. Curemydisease.com takes no responsibility whatsoever for anything missed, misunderstood, or acted upon as a result of our summary — we know it does not capture everything.
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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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Locations
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Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital, No. 150 Haping Road, Nangang District, Harbin, Heilongjiang Province, China
Harbin, Heilongjiang, 150081, China