# Can we Save the Rectum by Watchful Waiting or TransAnal Surgery Following (Chemo)Radiotherapy Versus Total Mesorectal Excision for Early REctal Cancer?

Source: https://onco.cc/trials/nct02945566/  
OnCo record `nct02945566` (Trial). Data CC BY-NC 4.0, attribute "Data from OnCo (onco.cc)"; commercial use needs a licence.

## TL;DR

A phase 2/3 trial of capecitabine in colorectal cancer, run by University of Birmingham, active but no longer recruiting.

## Summary

Can we Save the Rectum by Watchful Waiting or TransAnal Surgery Following (Chemo)Radiotherapy Versus Total Mesorectal Excision for Early REctal Cancer? is a phase 2/3, randomised interventional study registered as NCT02945566 by University of Birmingham, with a registry enrolment figure of 380 participants, started 2017-06-14 and due to reach its primary completion in 2027-08. Interventions recorded: Standard TME surgery; Long course concurrent chemoradiation with capecitabine and radiotherapy; Short course radiotherapy. Conditions listed: Adenocarcinoma of the Rectum. Primary outcome: Phase II (Feasibility study) Primary Outcome: Recruitment Rate; Phase III Primary Outcome: Organ Preservation. Colorectal eligibility wording from the registry: "* Biopsy proven adenocarcinoma of the rectum". Sites: Belgium, Denmark, Netherlands, Sweden, United Kingdom. United Kingdom sites listed: 1. No results are recorded here; the registry entry is the source.

## Fields

- Kind: Trial
- Status: active
- Last checked: 2026-09-24
- Also known as: STAR-TREC
- Tags: ctgov-ingest; colorectal-deep-dive
- Registry id: NCT02945566
- Phase: 2/3
- Setting: STAR-TREC: Can we Save the Rectum by Watchful Waiting or TransAnal Surgery Following (Chemo)Radiotherapy Versus Total Mesorectal Excision for Early REctal Cancer?
- Sponsor: University of Birmingham
- Enrolled: 380

## Notes

- UK sites (registry): University of Birmingham (Birmingham).

## Sources

- ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02945566: https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT02945566

## Connected records

- cancers: [Rectal cancer](https://onco.cc/cancers/rectal-cancer/)
- technologies: [Cytotoxic chemotherapy](https://onco.cc/technologies/cytotoxic-chemotherapy/), [IMRT / IGRT (modern external beam)](https://onco.cc/technologies/imrt-igrt/)
- drugs: [Capecitabine](https://onco.cc/drugs/capecitabine/)
- terms: [Colorectal cancer trials open today (registry snapshot)](https://onco.cc/terms/colorectal-trials-open-today/)

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JSON: https://onco.cc/api/v1/entities/nct02945566.json