Promising treatment for rectal cancer
A new treatment for locally advanced rectal cancer shows favourable results in that surgery can sometimes be avoided completely. It also reduces the risk of recurrence. The method has been confirmed as effective in a comprehensive study conducted at IGP and published in eClinicalMedicine.
The new study shows that it is possible to double the chance of eliminating the need to surgically remove part of the bowel if all radiotherapy and chemotherapy are given first and then the patient undergoes surgery, if necessary.
“The tumour disappears completely more often, thereby increasing the chance of avoiding surgery and retaining normal rectum and rectal function. Moreover, there are fewer metastases,” says Bengt Glimelius, Professor of Oncology at IGP and Senior Consultantat Uppsala University Hospital, about the new method.