Characterising response to neoadjuvant radiotherapy in rectal cancer
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Characterising factors associated with treatment response to neoadjuvant radiotherapy in rectal cancer
IRAS ID
275941
Contact name
Campbell Roxburgh
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
NHS GG&C
Duration of Study in the UK
5 years, 0 months, 1 days
Research summary
Standard of care for locally advanced rectal cancer is neoadjuvant radiotherapy (with / without concomitant chemotherapy) followed by radical resection. This strategy facilitates margin free surgical resection and achieves excellent long term loco-regional control (local recurrence <10%).
However, responses to treatment vary between patients; some achieve complete tumor regression, with the potential for organ preservation avoiding surgery and others achieve only minimal responses. Given the risk of treatment toxicity and increased operative complications, such heterogeneity of outcomes mandates further research. It is therefore important to predict which patients are unlikely to benefit from radiotherapy to minimise these risks and avoid delay to surgery.
As part of a retrospective study using a previously constructed database of patients, we plan to evaluate a number of potential biomarkers of treatment response. These include local tissue and circulating immune or molecular factors in addition to CT imaging characteristics.
REC name
East of Scotland Research Ethics Service REC 1
REC reference
20/ES/0012
Date of REC Opinion
7 Feb 2020
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion