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Rectal Cancer Surgery Avoided in New Trial
24 Aug
Summary
- New trial finds rectal cancer patients may avoid surgery.
- Chemotherapy and radiotherapy replaced surgery in early trials.
- Findings could be life-changing for thousands of people.
A significant international trial has offered a potential breakthrough for individuals diagnosed with early-stage rectal cancer. For many patients, the need for major surgery, specifically a Total Mesorectal Excision, and the subsequent use of a colostomy bag may now be avoidable.
The STAR-TREC trial, led by researchers from the Universities of Leeds and Birmingham, explored alternative treatments. Instead of surgery, participants received combinations of chemotherapy and radiotherapy.
Published in Lancet Oncology, the trial's initial results suggest that this organ-preserving approach is a viable option. Cancer Research UK has described the findings as potentially life-changing for thousands of people diagnosed with rectal cancer each year.
Up to 14,000 people in the UK are diagnosed with rectal cancer annually, with approximately one-third in the early stages. Traditional treatment, TME, has a high cure rate but carries significant physical impacts.
