Current Clinical Trials

Stage 0 rectal cancer is the most superficial of all the lesions and is limited to the mucosa without invasion of the lamina propria. Because of its superficial nature, surgical and other procedures may be limited.

Standard treatment options:

1. Local excision or simple polypectomy.[1]
2. Full thickness rectal resection by the transanal or transcoccygeal route for large lesions not amenable to local excision.
3. Endocavitary irradiation.[2-4]
4. Local radiation therapy.[2]

Check for U.S. clinical trials from NCI's PDQ Cancer Clinical Trials Registry that are now accepting patients with stage 0 rectal cancer ¹. The list of clinical trials can be further narrowed by location, drug, intervention, and other criteria.

General information about clinical trials is also available from the NCI Web site ².

References

1. Bailey HR, Huval WV, Max E, et al.: Local excision of carcinoma of the rectum for cure. Surgery 111 (5): 555-61, 1992.  [PUBMED Abstract]
   
   
2. Kodner IJ, Gilley MT, Shemesh EI, et al.: Radiation therapy as definitive treatment for selected invasive rectal cancer. Surgery 114 (4): 850-6; discussion 856-7, 1993.  [PUBMED Abstract]
   
   
3. Mendenhall WM, Rout WR, Vauthey JN, et al.: Conservative treatment of rectal adenocarcinoma with endocavitary irradiation or wide local excision and postoperative irradiation. J Clin Oncol 15 (10): 3241-8, 1997.  [PUBMED Abstract]
   
   
4. Aumock A, Birnbaum EH, Fleshman JW, et al.: Treatment of rectal adenocarcinoma with endocavitary and external beam radiotherapy: results for 199 patients with localized tumors. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 51 (2): 363-70, 2001.  [PUBMED Abstract]