New study aims to decode bowel problems in rectal cancer survivors
NCT ID NCT06914245
First seen Jun 26, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This study follows 150 rectal cancer patients to understand why some have long-term bowel problems after treatment. Participants use a smartphone app to track symptoms and fill out quality-of-life questionnaires. The goal is to create personalized care plans that address each patient's unique needs.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- What this could lead to
- If successful, this could lead to personalized care plans that better manage bowel symptoms and improve quality of life for rectal cancer survivors.
- What could go wrong
- This is an observational study, not testing a new treatment. It may not directly change patient outcomes, and results may take years to apply in practice.
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
-
Not a phased trial
Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.
- Participants
-
About 150 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Started
-
Apr 2025
- Expected to finish
-
Dec 2028
An estimate. End dates often move.
- Lead sponsor
-
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
-
18 years and older
- Sex
-
Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
-
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: * Voluntary written informed consent of the participant or their legally authorized representative has been obtained prior to any screening procedures. * At least 18 years of age at the time of signing the Informed Consent Form (ICF). * Proficient in reading, comprehending, and conversing in Dutch. * Patients scheduled for Total Mesorectal Excision (TME) or Partial Mesorectal Excision (PME) or 'Watch and wait' protocol due to rectal cancer. Exclusion Criteria: * The participant has undergone a different type of surgery, including a Hartmann procedure, abdominoperineal excision, transanal endoscopic microsurgery, or sigmoid resection. * Experienced fecal incontinence prior to undergoing surgery. * Are affected by neurological disorders affecting bowel function. * Already underwent previous pelvic radiation or rectal surgery for non-cancer reasons. * Has a permanent stoma.
Get updates
Get notified about this study
Sign up to get updates when this study changes or when new studies for Active surveillance are added.
Genom att skicka in godkänner du våra Användarvillkor
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.
-
The places running it
1 site. The list below names each one and where it is.
-
The official record
ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.
-
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
-
UZ Leuven
RECRUITINGLeuven, Vlaams-Brabant, 3000, Belgium
More trials for these conditions
Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.
- Immunotherapy added to standard treatment aims to save the anus in Ultra-Low rectal cancer
- Can doctors safely watch small thyroid cancers instead of removing them?
- Robotic surgery vs standard approaches: does the platform change cancer outcomes?
- Can two immunotherapy drugs help rectal cancer patients skip pelvic radiation?
- Can digital surveys capture the full toll of rectal cancer treatment?
- Can a targeted drug conjugate outsmart advanced colorectal cancer?