New combo therapy aims to spare organs in High-Risk rectal cancer
NCT ID NCT07551479
First seen Jun 24, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 2 times
Summary
This phase 3 trial tests whether short-course radiation followed by chemotherapy and an immunotherapy drug (serplulimab) works better than standard long-course chemoradiation for high-risk locally advanced rectal cancer. 612 patients will be randomly assigned to one of the two treatments. The goal is to improve event-free survival and increase the chance of avoiding surgery (organ preservation).
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- Short-course radiation, capecitabine, oxaliplatin, serplulimab (PD-1 inhibitor)
- What this could lead to
- If successful, this could offer a more effective, organ-sparing treatment option for high-risk rectal cancer patients, potentially avoiding surgery.
- What could go wrong
- This is an early phase 3 trial not yet recruiting. The combination may cause more side effects, and the long-term benefits over standard care are unproven.
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 3
Large-scale testing in a bigger group. Usually the last step before a treatment can be approved.
- Participants
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About 612 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Expected to start
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May 2026
An estimate. Start dates often move.
- Expected to finish
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Dec 2035
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. Age 18-75 years old, female and male; 2. Pathological confirmed adenocarcinoma; 3. The distance from anal verge ≤ 10 cm; 4. MSI/MMR status: MSS/pMMR; 5. Clinical stage T3-4 and/or N+, without distance metastases; 6. At least one of the following factors is present: distance from the anus ≤5 cm, cT4, cN2, positive cMRF, positive cEMVI, positive tumor deposit or positive lateral lymph node; 7. KPS ≥ 70; 8. No radiotherapy, chemotherapy, immunotherapy, or any other anti-tumor therapy had been administered prior to enrollment; 9. Baseline blood and biochemical indicators meet the following criteria: neutrophils ≥ 1.5 × 10\^9/L, Hb ≥ 90 g/L, PLT ≥ 100 × 10\^9/L, ALT/ AST ≤ 2.5 ULN, Cr ≤ 1 ULN; 10. With good compliance and signed the consent form. Exclusion Criteria 1. Pregnancy or breast-feeding women; 2. Known history of other malignancies within 5 years; 3. Known history of severe neurological or mental illness (such as schizophrenia, dementia or epilepsy); 4. Current severe cardiac disease (cardiac dysfunction and arrhythmia), renal dysfunction and liver dysfunction; 5. Acute cardiac infarction or cerebral ischemic stroke occurred within 6 months before recruitment; 6. Uncontrolled infection which needs systemic therapy; 7. Active autoimmune disease or immunodeficiencies, known history of organ transplantation or systematic use of immunosuppressive agents; 8. Known history of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection (i.e., HIV 1 to 2 antibody positive), active syphilis infection, active pulmonary tuberculosis infection; 9. Allergic to any component of the therapy.
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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
1 site. 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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Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center
Shanghai, China
More trials for these conditions
Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.
- Can a diet that starves cancer cells boost rectal cancer treatment?
- Can a drug combo make rectal cancer disappear before surgery?
- Can a gut bacteria transplant help immunotherapy wipe out rectal cancer before surgery?
- New combo therapy aims to shrink rectal tumors before Surgery—Could spare some patients the knife
- New cocktail aims to outsmart deadly colorectal cancer
- New drug duo takes on tough rectal cancer