Phase 2 Single-Arm Rectal Cancer Brachytherapy for Patients With Low-Lying Residual Adenocarcinoma After Total Neoadjuvant Therapy to Improve Organ Preservation Rates
Eligible age
18–100 yrs
Accepts
All genders
Locations
3 states
Healthy volunteers
No
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About this study
Rectal cancer patients who do not achieve a complete response to standard of care chemotherapy and radiation often require surgical resection as part of curative intent therapy. This study will evaluate whether additional "focal" radiation delivered internally (rectal brachytherapy) can provide complete responses and thus spare the requirement for surgery. The main questions are whether: 1) rectal brachytherapy is safe in this clinical treatment paradigm and if 2) rectal brachytherapy improves organ preservation (no need for surgery). The trial involves an additional MRI pelvis and sigmoidoscopy with marker placement to define high-risk residual disease for radiation planning. Subsequently, 3 outpatient brachytherapy treatments are given on a weekly basis. If a patient achieves a complete response to brachytherapy, standard of care non-operative surveillance visits are conducted with study visits aligned during the first two years following brachytherapy.
Sponsor: University of Colorado, Denver
You may qualify if…
- ✓ 1. Provision to sign and date the consent form.
- ✓ 2. Stated willingness to comply with all study procedures and be available for the duration of the study.
- ✓ 3. Adults (18-100 years old)
- ✓ 4. ECOG 0-3
- ✓ 5. Patients with MMR-proficient low-mid rectal adenocarcinoma cT1-4 N0-2 M0 who underwent total neoadjuvant therapy who have not achieved complete response (i.e. incomplete or near-complete) in the rectal primary tumor such that surgical resection, if offered presently or in the future, would be an APR or low LAR per colorectal surgeon expert opinion and central review at University of Colorado rectal tumor board. Tumor restaging will be 4-16 weeks following completion of total neoadjuvant therapy, and no sooner than 8 weeks if patients received chemotherapy followed by chemoradiation/short course radiation.
- ✓ 6. Residual rectal disease must have its craniocaudal extent \<4 cm with thickness \<1.2 cm. Tumor must have \<50% circumferential involvement. Residual disease must be above the dentate line and not involving the anal canal.
- ✓ 7. In patients with original cN1-2 disease, restaging CT and MRI after total neoadjuvant therapy must demonstrate at least near-complete response of the pelvic lymph nodes per NCCN criteria as evaluated by central review at University of Colorado rectal tumor board.
- ✓ 8. Interval of time between completion of TNT and initiation of rectal brachytherapy must be between 4-16 weeks.
You may not qualify if…
- ✕ 1. History of ulcerative colitis or Crohn's disease.
- ✕ 2. Pelvic radiotherapy given prior to rectal cancer external beam radiation.
- ✕ 3. Prior colorectal surgery in which anastomotic site is at or near HDR brachytherapy target.
- ✕ o Prior local excision is not an exclusion criterion.
- ✕ 4. Uncontrolled intercurrent severe illness, including but not limited to, ongoing or active infection, symptomatic congestive heart failure, uncontrolled hypertension, unstable angina pectoris, cardiac arrhythmia, interstitial lung disease, serious chronic gastrointestinal conditions associated with diarrhea, or psychiatric illness/social situations that would limit compliance with study requirement, substantially increase risk of incurring AEs or compromise the ability of the patient to give written informed consent.
- ✕ 5. Life expectancy \<3 years per provider discretion.
- ✕ 6. Concurrent administration of any cytotoxic chemotherapy, immunotherapy, or other any targeted oncologic agent that would impact rectal cancer is not allowed during study protocol.
- ✕ 7. If rectal cancer has been treated outside of standard total neoadjuvant therapy per NCCN guidelines, patients are ineligible for the trial. This includes if patients received external beam chemoradiation dose with prescription \>56 Gy or short-course radiation to rectal mucosa prescription \>30 Gy.
Where it's recruiting
Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · NCT07292298 · last updated 2026-04-06