New drug cocktail aims to shrink rectal tumors before surgery

NCT ID NCT05672524

Recruiting now Disease control Sponsor: Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

First seen Jun 25, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time

Summary

This phase 2 trial tests whether adding two targeted drugs (tucatinib and trastuzumab) to standard chemotherapy can shrink HER2-positive rectal tumors before surgery. About 37 adults with locally advanced rectal cancer will receive the drug combo for 6 weeks, then continue it with chemo for another 15 weeks. The main goal is to see how many patients have a complete response (no tumor left) after treatment.

What this could mean

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

Active substance: tucatinib and trastuzumab (drugs that target HER2-positive cancer cells)
What this could lead to: If successful, this combination could become a new standard approach to shrink HER2-positive rectal tumors before surgery, potentially improving outcomes.
What could go wrong: This is a small, early-phase trial (37 people) with no control group. The added drugs may cause side effects like diarrhea or liver problems, and the response rate may not be better than current therapy.

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

adenocarcinoma rectal cancer rectal neoplasm rectum adenocarcinoma

As listed by the trial registrant

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

ADENOCARCINOMA OF THE RECTUM HER2 POSITIVE RECTAL ADENOCARCINOMA LOCALLY ADVANCED RECTAL ADENOCARCINOMA RECTAL ADENOCARCINOMA RECTAL CANCER

Contacts and locations

Locations

Memorial Sloan Kettering Basking Ridge (Limited Protocol Activities)
RECRUITING

Basking Ridge, New Jersey, 07920, United States
Memorial Sloan Kettering Bergen (Limited Protocol Activities)
RECRUITING

Montvale, New Jersey, 07645, United States
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (All Protocol Activities)
RECRUITING

New York, New York, 10065, United States
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center at Suffolk - Commack (Limited Protocol Activities)
RECRUITING

Commack, New York, 11725, United States
Memorial Sloan Kettering Monmouth (Limited Protocol Activities)
RECRUITING

Middletown, New Jersey, 07748, United States
Memorial Sloan Kettering Nassau (Limited Protocol Activities)
RECRUITING

Uniondale, New York, 11553, United States
Memorial Sloan Kettering Westchester (Limited Protocol Activities)
RECRUITING

Harrison, New York, 10604, United States

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