City of Hope®, one of the largest and most advanced cancer research and treatment organizations in the U.S. with its National Medical Center named top 5 in the nation for cancer by U.S. News & World Report, has opened a phase 1 trial seeking to one day transform rectal cancer from a mostly radiation-resistant disease to one that can be cured using radiation and chemotherapy.
Many cancers are cured through radiation therapy alone or radiation in combination with chemotherapy, including – but not limited to – prostate, head and neck, lung, cervical and anal cancers. For patients who are eligible for a watch-and-wait approach, improving the efficacy of radiation and avoiding the need for surgery may improve quality of life, particularly if patients receiving surgery will need a permanent colostomy and…