
"I am glad that taking part in a trial might help others on their own cancer journey.”
This trial looked at whether it was useful for people with cancer of the back passage (rectal cancer) to have chemotherapy before surgery.
Cancer Research UK supported this trial.
Radiotherapy, followed by surgery and chemotherapy is the usual treatment for rectal cancer. This is .
Research has shown that for some cancers giving chemotherapy before and after surgery can help to delay the cancer coming back.
In this trial doctors gave people the same amount of radiotherapy and chemotherapy as standard treatment. But some of the chemotherapy was given before surgery.
The researchers wanted to find out
The trial team found it was possible to give chemotherapy before surgery to remove rectal cancer.
This was a phase 2 trial. Everyone had chemotherapy before surgery to remove their rectal cancer.
60 people joined the trial. 3 people didn’t have surgery.
57 people had chemotherapy, radiotherapy then surgery. The average gap between finishing their radiotherapy and having surgery was 7 days.
The cancer was completely removed in all 57 people.
After surgery 45 people had more chemotherapy and 12 didn’t.
The researchers have followed up the people who had surgery for at least 1 year after surgery to see how they are.
The worst side effect of the chemotherapy and radiotherapy before surgery was a significant drop in white blood cells causing an increased risk of infection.
The trial team concluded that it is possible to give chemotherapy before surgery for rectal cancer. A larger phase 3 trial is being considered to study this further.
We have based this summary on information from the research team. As far as we are aware, the information they sent us has not been reviewed independently () or published in a medical journal yet. The figures we quote above were provided by the research team. We have not analysed the data ourselves.
Please note: In order to join a trial you will need to discuss it with your doctor, unless otherwise specified.
Dr Simon Gollins
Bobby Moore Fund (BMF)
Cancer Research UK
Cardiff University
Experimental Cancer Medicine Centre (ECMC)
NIHR Clinical Research Network: Cancer
Wales Cancer Trials Unit (WCTU)
This is Cancer Research UK trial number CRUK/10/020.
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.”