Brian was one of over 500 patients recruited across five countries for the trial.

He didn’t feel daunted by the prospect of joining it: “My consultant explained that the usual treatment would be surgery and it was highly likely I’d be left with a permanent colostomy bag. The decision wasn’t difficult, so I said, ‘sign me up.’ My view was to go for the trial as I couldn’t be any worse off if nothing worked, and it might be useful for future cancer patients.” 

During the trial, Brian had five days of intensive radiotherapy. Fortunately, he experienced minimal side effects beyond a little nausea and some lower back pain, which cleared up quickly.

Things are only impossible until they’re not 

The trial compared the current surgical treatment method with two different organ-preserving treatment approaches – five weeks of chemoradiotherapy or five days of radiotherapy. 

After 12 months, the research team found that five weeks of chemoradiotherapy was more effective than the other two treatment approaches. Patients in this group were less likely to need radical surgery than those who had five days of radiotherapy, and experienced minimal side effects. 

The researchers who worked on this trial are pleased with the outcome. 

David Sebag-Montefiore, one of STAR-TREC’s co-chief investigators and Professor of Clinical Oncology at the University of Leeds, says: “These exciting results are an example of how a smarter, kinder radiotherapy treatment may allow patients to avoid the need for major surgery.”  

What comes next – and how can we ‘Make it so?’ 

The research team will follow patients for the next three years, to monitor whether the cancer is more likely to come back without radical surgery, and whether there’s a difference in survival. 

Simon Bach, co-chief investigator of the trial and Professor of Colorectal Surgery at UCL, says: “The next step is to confirm these results hold over the longer term, and then to make sure the approach is available to every patient who could benefit.”  

And what’s next for Brian?

Well, since he finished participating in the trial, CT scans, MRI scans and endoscopies have all shown no trace of cancer.

He believes the treatment he received has allowed him to enjoy a better quality of life than he may have been able to have if he’d had standard treatment – so he’s getting back to enjoying his passions, like supporting Millwall Football Club, and travelling.  

Brian says, “I’m a massive fan of clinical trials. They can be a real game-changer for people like me. Success stories like mine wouldn’t be possible without research into better and kinder treatments.”