A Phase 3 Randomized Trial Of Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy, Excision And Observation Versus Chemoradiotherapy For Early Rectal Cancer
Canadian Cancer Trials Group
Summary
This study is being done to answer the following questions: Is the chance of rectal cancer responding the same if chemotherapy alone is given before limited surgery compared to chemotherapy and radiation therapy given together before limited surgery? If radiation therapy is not given, is quality of life better?
Description
This study is being done to find out if this approach is better or worse than the usual approach for early rectal cancer. The usual approach is defined as care most people get for early rectal cancer. The usual approach for patients who are not in a study is surgery to remove the rectum or treatment with chemotherapy and radiation therapy, followed by surgery. There are several chemotherapy drugs approved by Health Canada that are commonly used with radiation therapy. For patients who get the usual approach for this cancer, about 90 out of 100 are free of cancer after 5 years. If a patient d…