Contact Radiotherapy for Rectal Cancer

NCT ID: NCT06501053

Last Updated: 2025-06-06

Study Results

Results pending

The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.

Basic Information

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Recruitment Status

RECRUITING

Clinical Phase

NA

Total Enrollment

110 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2025-03-03

Study Completion Date

2032-11-30

Brief Summary

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The aim of the CORRECT phase 2 study is to show non-inferiority of Contact x-ray brachytherapy (CXB) + short-course radiotherapy (SCRT) compared to the experimental arm of the OPERA trial in organ preservation for early and early intermediate rectal cancer (cT1-3abN1).

Detailed Description

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The primary aim of this study is to determine whether a combination of CXB + SCRT is non-inferior to CXB + chemoradiotherapy (CRT) regarding the primary endpoint 2-year organ preservation rate. Additionally, we hypothesize that a chemotherapy-free, radiation-only experimental treatment CXB+SCRT is associated with less side-effects compared to the OPERA regime.

In the OPERA trial (Gerard et al, 2023), the CXB was delivered in combination with long-course CRT. A combination of short-course radiotherapy (SCRT) and CXB has previously been used mainly in elderly and comorbid patients not suitable for long-course chemoradiotherapy. Recently, an international multi-institution report showed good outcomes of planned organ preservation using SCRT together with contact brachytherapy boost. However, no randomized data on this combination therapy are available. There are further no trials comparing CRT+CXB and SCRT+CXB.

Study participants will be randomized to either the standard treatment consisting of CXB (90Gy/3 fractions/4 weeks) and CRT 45/50 Gy (1.8/2 Gy/fraction/5 weeks) with concurrent chemotherapy using capecitabine (900 mg/m2 bid, on radiation days) OR the experimental treatment consisting of CXB (90Gy/3 fractions/4 weeks) SCRT (25 Gy in 5 daily fractions over a total time of 1 week, treating 5 days per week, 1 fraction per day, using 5 Gy per fraction, over the maximum treatment period of eight calendar days).

Conditions

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Rectal Cancer

Study Design

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Allocation Method

RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

PARALLEL

Primary Study Purpose

TREATMENT

Blinding Strategy

NONE

Study Groups

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CXB + CRT

Contact x-ray brachytherapy (CXB) (90Gy/3 fractions/4 weeks) and chemoradiotherapy (CRT) 45/50 Gy (1.8/2 Gy/fraction/5 weeks) with concurrent chemotherapy using capecitabine (900 mg/m2 bid, on radiation days).

Group Type ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

Radiotherapy

Intervention Type RADIATION

45/50 Gy (1.8/2 Gy/fraction/5 weeks)

Contact x-ray brachytherapy

Intervention Type RADIATION

90Gy/3 fractions/4 weeks

Chemotherapy

Intervention Type DRUG

Capecitabine (900 mg/m2 bid, on radiation days)

CXB + SCRT

Contact x-ray brachytherapy (CXB) (90Gy/3 fractions/4 weeks) and a short-course radiotherapy (SCRT) (25 Gy in 5 daily fractions over a total time of 1 week, treating 5 days per week, 1 fraction per day, using 5 Gy per fraction, over the maximum treatment period of eight calendar days).

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Short-course radiotherapy

Intervention Type RADIATION

25 Gy in 5 daily fractions over a total time of 1 week, treating 5 days per week, 1 fraction per day, using 5 Gy per fraction, over the maximum treatment period of eight calendar days

Contact x-ray brachytherapy

Intervention Type RADIATION

90Gy/3 fractions/4 weeks

Interventions

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Radiotherapy

45/50 Gy (1.8/2 Gy/fraction/5 weeks)

Intervention Type RADIATION

Short-course radiotherapy

25 Gy in 5 daily fractions over a total time of 1 week, treating 5 days per week, 1 fraction per day, using 5 Gy per fraction, over the maximum treatment period of eight calendar days

Intervention Type RADIATION

Contact x-ray brachytherapy

90Gy/3 fractions/4 weeks

Intervention Type RADIATION

Chemotherapy

Capecitabine (900 mg/m2 bid, on radiation days)

Intervention Type DRUG

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

* Adenocarcinoma of the rectum classified as:
* cT1-cT3ab, \< 5 cm largest diameter and \< ½ circumference (MRI staging), N0-N1 (\<= 3 nodes \< 8mm diameter), M0
* Performance status (ECOG) 0-1
* Operable patient
* Tumor accessible to endocavitary contact X-ray brachytherapy with a distance from the lower tumor border to the anal verge ≤10 cm
* 18 years or above
* No comorbidity preventing treatment
* Patient having read the information note and having signed the informed consent
* Follow-up possible

Exclusion Criteria

* Inoperable patient
* T3cd, T4, T≥ 5cm, Involvement of more than half of the bowel circumference
* Distance from the lower tumor border to the anal verge \>10 cm
* N2-status at diagnosis or N1 with any node\>= 8 mm diameter
* Patient presenting with metastasis at diagnosis (M1)
* Previous pelvic irradiation
* Tumor with extramural vascular invasion
* Poorly differentiated tumor
* Simultaneous progressive cancer
* Tumor invading external anal sphincter or growth within 1 mm of the levator
* Tumor within 1 mm from MRF (mesorectal fascia)
* Patient unable to receive CXB or CRT
* Any significant concurrent medical illness that in the opinion of the investigator would preclude protocol therapy
* Patient with history of poor compliance or current or past psychiatric conditions or severe acute or chronic medical conditions that would interfere with the ability to comply with the study protocol
* Concurrent enrolment in another clinical trial using an investigational anti-cancer treatment within 28 days prior to the first dose of study treatment
* Total DPD deficiency
Minimum Eligible Age

18 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Sponsors

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Uppsala University Hospital

OTHER

Sponsor Role collaborator

Karolinska Institutet

OTHER

Sponsor Role collaborator

Alexander Valdman

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

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Alexander Valdman

National Principal Investigator

Responsibility Role SPONSOR_INVESTIGATOR

Locations

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Karolinska University Hospital, Theme Cancer, Dept of Pelvic cancer

Stockholm, Solna, Sweden

Site Status RECRUITING

Uppsala University Hospital, Colorectal Surgery

Uppsala, , Sweden

Site Status RECRUITING

Countries

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Sweden

Central Contacts

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Alexander Valdman, MD, PhD

Role: CONTACT

+46 70 002 13 17

Facility Contacts

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Per J Nilsson, MD, PhD

Role: primary

+46 724 69 48 14

Joakim Folkesson, MD, PhD

Role: primary

+46 18 611 00 00

References

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Gerard JP, Barbet N, Schiappa R, Magne N, Martel I, Mineur L, Deberne M, Zilli T, Dhadda A, Myint AS; ICONE group. Neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy with radiation dose escalation with contact x-ray brachytherapy boost or external beam radiotherapy boost for organ preservation in early cT2-cT3 rectal adenocarcinoma (OPERA): a phase 3, randomised controlled trial. Lancet Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2023 Apr;8(4):356-367. doi: 10.1016/S2468-1253(22)00392-2. Epub 2023 Feb 16.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 36801007 (View on PubMed)

Nilsson PJ, Folkesson J, Marsk R, Radu C, Stratulat I, Blomqvist L, Martling A, Valdman A. Contact radiotherapy for rectal cancer (CORRECT): study protocol for a multicentre randomised phase II trial. BMJ Open. 2025 Apr 9;15(4):e100356. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2025-100356.

Reference Type DERIVED
PMID: 40204311 (View on PubMed)

Other Identifiers

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CORRECT

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id

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