Short-course radiotherapy combined with chemotherapy and PD-1 inhibitor in low-lying early rectal cancer: study protocol for a single-arm, multicentre, prospective, phase II trial (TORCH-E).

ABSTRACT:

Introduction

Current standard treatment for patients with early rectal cancer is radical surgical resection. Although radical surgery provides effective local tumour control, it also increases the mortality risk and considerable adverse effects, including bowel, bladder, sexual dysfunction and loss of anal function, especially in patients with low-lying rectal cancer. Recent studies have shown promising synergistic effects of the combination of programmed cell death-1 (PD-1)/programmed cell death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) inhibitors and radiotherapy in improving tumour regression. For patients who reach a clinical complete response (cCR) after neoadjuvant therapy, a 'Watch & Wait' (W&W) approach can be adopted to preserve anorectal function and improve quality of life. Thus, this study aims

SUBMITTER: Chen Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10565143 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature