Can early rectal cancer be treated without removing the rectum?
NCT ID NCT02945566
First seen Jun 29, 2026 · Last updated Jun 30, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This trial investigates whether less invasive treatments can save the rectum in people with early-stage rectal cancer. Participants receive either standard surgery (removing part of the rectum) or one of two organ-sparing approaches: short-course radiotherapy or chemoradiation (chemotherapy plus radiation), followed by close monitoring or a small local surgery. The goal is to see if these gentler options can control the cancer while avoiding a permanent stoma and reducing side effects.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.
Active substance
capecitabine (chemotherapy) and radiotherapy
What this could lead to
If successful, this could offer a way to treat early rectal cancer without removing the rectum, avoiding a permanent or temporary stoma and improving quality of life.
What could go wrong
This is an early-to-mid-stage trial, so the organ-sparing approach may not control the cancer as well as standard surgery, and some patients may still need a stoma or further treatment.
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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Odense University Hospital
Odense, Denmark
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Radboud University medical center
Nijmegen, Netherlands
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Region Stockholm, Onkologkliniken Södersjukhuset AB
Stockholm, Sweden
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University Hospital UZ Leuven
Leuven, Belgium
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University of Birmingham
Birmingham, B15 2TT, United Kingdom