
"I am glad that taking part in a trial might help others on their own cancer journey.”
Please note - this trial is no longer recruiting patients. We hope to add results when they are available.
This study is looking at ways to improve treatment for rectal cancer. The people taking part have bowel cancer that is very close to the .
Doctors usually treat cancer that starts in the with surgery. Some people may also have radiotherapy and chemotherapy.
When you have surgery to remove cancer, the doctors want to make sure that they take out an area of tissue around the cancer that doesn’t contain any cancer cells. This is what is known as a clear margin of tissue. This is important, because having a clear margin means there is less chance of the cancer coming back.
Scans such as an MRI can help doctors to plan and modify the operation and get clear margins. In this study, the researchers want to find out how much the scans help. They also want to find out how much treatments like chemotherapy and radiotherapy help. And they want to see what effect treatment has on people’s lives.
If you take part in the study, the researchers will look at your medical notes to find details of the scans, the type of operation and any other treatment you have. They will look at some of the tissue removed when you have your operation. And they will ask you to fill in a number of questionnaires.
The aims of the study are to
The researchers hope that the results of the study will improve rectal cancer treatment for people in the future.
You can enter this trial if you
You cannot enter this trial if you
The study aims to recruit over 400 people in the UK. If you agree to take part, the researchers will get details about your treatment from your medical notes. They will also get a sample of the tissue removed when you have your surgery. And they will ask to you to fill in 10 or 11 questionnaires over the next 5 years.
The questionnaires will ask you about any side effects you have had and how you have been feeling. As well as asking about your general well being, there will be questions about how your bowel or (if you have one) has been working. They will ask if you have had problems such as weight loss,
or difficulty passing urine. There will be some questions about your sex life and how you feel about your sexuality.
You will not have to make any extra visits to hospital if you take part in this study. The researchers will send the questionnaires to you by post.
There are no side effects from taking part in the study.
Please note: In order to join a trial you will need to discuss it with your doctor, unless otherwise specified.
Prof Gina Brown
Mr Brendan Moran
NIHR Clinical Research Network: Cancer
Pelican Cancer Foundation
The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust
If you have questions about the trial please contact our cancer information nurses
Freephone 0808 800 4040
"I am glad that taking part in a trial might help others on their own cancer journey.”