Rectal cancer

Sunnybrook is conducting the world’s first clinical trial on the use of MRI-guided high-intensity focused ultrasound to treat recurrent rectal cancer. The standard treatment for this disease includes chemotherapy, radiation therapy and surgery. For patients in whom the disease has returned, however, these therapies have limited effectiveness.

In this pilot study, the aim is to determine whether thermal treatment of cancer, via focused ultrasound, can be used safely with radiation and chemotherapy without increased negative side effects. The study is recruiting 20 patients with recurrent rectal cancer who are not candidates for surgery.

The principal investigator is Dr. William Chu, a radiation oncologist at Sunnybrook and researcher at Sunnybrook Research Institute. For more information, visit the clinicaltrials.gov website: NCT02528175. You may also contact Dr. Chu at 416-480-6100 ext. 67086.