Towards Personalized Care Pathways for Bowel Symptoms in Rectal Cancer Patients Through Precision Medicine

What this Trial Is About

Rectal cancer is a common type of cancer affecting both women and men, with about 40% of cases located in the rectum. Standard treatment usually involves surgery combined with chemoradiotherapy, but this can cause lasting bowel function problems and reduce quality of life. This research aims to understand the factors that contribute to ongoing bowel symptoms and how these affect patients' quality of life one year after surgery, stoma closure, or completion of neoadjuvant therapy in those under active surveillance. Participants include patients undergoing rectal surgery or managed with active surveillance. They will use an electronic bowel diary app on their phones and complete online questionnaires at multiple times: before surgery and at 1, 6, and 12 months afterward for surgical patients, or at baseline and 1, 6, and 12 months after neoadjuvant therapy for those in active surveillance. The study evaluates bowel symptoms and their impact on quality of life using several validated tools. During the study, participants will track bowel function and quality of life through diaries and questionnaires at set intervals. Researchers will measure bowel symptoms, quality of life related to bowel function, and overall quality of life at 12 months. They will also assess how factors like age, gender, diabetes, smoking, body mass index, depression, and anxiety might predict persistent bowel issues. The study runs until December 2028 and is led by KU Leuven.

Personalized Care Pathways for Bowel Symptoms in Rectal Cancer Patients_contributing Factors (Treatable)