Randomized Controlled Trials in Surgical Oncology:

Clinical Trials That Have Informed the Modern Management of Breast Cancer

Randomized controlled trials have informed the historical evolution of breast cancer management, distilling operative and nonoperative treatments to achieve disease control and improve survival while maximizing quality of life and minimizing complications. The authors describe landmark trials investigating and influencing the following aspects of breast cancer care: extent of breast surgery; axillary management; neoadjuvant and adjuvant therapies; and selection of chemotherapy versus endocrine therapy via application of genomic assays.

What is being researched in rectal cancer?

INTRODUCTION

Clinical evidence has a more significant role in medical specialties than in surgery. Rectal cancer (CR) is no exception. This paper explores what CR-related subjects are being investigated at the present time in a quantitative and qualitative way and analyzes this information to know what possible answers clinical research could give us in the future.

METHODS

The data collection was carried out in April 2014 and was based on 3 sources: 2 institutional clinical trials registries -American (clinicaltrials.gov) and European (EU Clinical Trials Register)- and a survey given to members of the Asociación Española de Coloproctología (AECP). The obtained studies were exported to a database designed especially for this review, which included a number of descriptive elements that would allow the cataloging of the different studies. The AECP survey results were analyzed separately.

RESULTS

There are currently 216 clinical trials ongoing related to CR. Two-thirds are primarily conducted by oncologists. Nearly a third are surgical. The research focuses on improving preoperative treatment: new drugs, new schemes of chemo-radiotherapy (usually induction or consolidation schemes) or optimization of radiotherapy and its effects. Surgical clinical trials are related to robotics, laparoscopy, stoma, low colorectal anastomosis, distal CR and local treatment.

CONCLUSION

Most of the current clinical trials ongoing on CR are analyzing aspects of chemo-radiotherapy and its effects. A third focus on purely surgical issues.