Clinical trial · Interventional
Magnetic Resonance Tumour Regression Grade (mrTRG) as a Novel Biomarker - Phase III Non CTIMP Trial
Magnetic Resonance Tumour Regression Grade (mrTRG) as a Novel Biomarker to Stratify Management of Good and Poor Responders to Radiotherapy: A Rectal Cancer Multicentre Randomised Control Trial to Avoid Surgery With 'Watch and Wait' or Intensify Treatment According to mrTRG
- Source
- ClinicalTrials.gov
- Retrieved
- Sep 8, 2026
- Layer
- normalized (units and labels harmonized; values unchanged)
- Run
- ING-CLINICALTRIALS-20260908-000001
Summary
Brief summary (as posted)
Open to patients undergoing any pre-operative treatment for locally advanced rectal cancer, TRIGGER is the only phase III clinical trial in the UK offering watch and wait. All patients will have post treatment MRI scans routinely performed, no change from the MERCURY trials high resolution MRI protocol is required. Patients will be randomised to either the control arm for management according to national guidelines - conventional MDT, clinical assessment post-treatment planning using the baseline MRI. Patients in the interventional arm will have their post treatment MRI scans read by a radiologist trained and supported to reliably report the mrTRG grade and have their management directed accordingly - 'Good response' (mrTRG 1\&2) - watch and wait (avoidance of surgery) offered. 'Poor response' (mrTRG 3-5) - local colorectal MDT is informed and uses information to discuss and agree next steps in treatment and surveillance. Patients are followed up for five years with QoL questionnaires completed at registration, 3 and 5 years.
Conditions
Conditions (1)
Free-text conditions as registered, with the CancerIndex entity they were reconciled to and the match type.
| Condition (as posted) | Mapped entity | Match | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rectal Cancer | Malignant Rectal Neoplasm | CURATED_EXACT | 0.92 |
Interventions
Interventions (2)
| Intervention | Type | Mapped drug | Match |
|---|---|---|---|
| High resolution MRI scan | Diagnostic Test | — | UNRESOLVED |
| mrTRG assessment | Diagnostic Test | — | UNRESOLVED |
Design
Arms and outcomes
Arms (2)
- type
- OTHER
- label
- Control arm
- description
- Management according to national guidelines - conventional MDT, clinical assessment post-treatment planning
- interventionNames
- Diagnostic Test: High resolution MRI scan
- type
- EXPERIMENTAL
- label
- Intervention arm
- description
- mrTRG directed management 'Good response' (mrTRG 1\&2) - deferral of surgery (watch \& wait) offered. 'Poor response' (mrTRG 3-5) - local colorectal MDT is informed and uses information to discuss and agree next steps in treatment and surveillance.
- interventionNames
- Diagnostic Test: High resolution MRI scan
- Diagnostic Test: mrTRG assessment
Primary outcomes (1)
- measure
Eligibility
Eligibility (as posted)
- Sex
- All
- Minimum age
- 16 Years
Show eligibility criteria text
Inclusion Criteria: 1. MRI defined locally advanced rectal carcinoma i.e. one or more: greater than or equal to mrT3c; mrEMVI positive; mr N1c; mr CRM positive 2. Biopsy confirmed adenocarcinoma of radiologically defined rectum 3. Be deemed to require preoperative chemoradiotherapy (CRT) or total neoadjuvant therapy (TNT) Exclusion Criteria: 1. Metastatic disease 2. MRI, radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy contraindications 3. A post-treatment MRI performed more than 10 weeks after the completion of radiotherapy if given 4. Previous malignancy within preceding 5 years if risk of recurrence \>5%
References
Publications (1)
- DERIVEDBattersby NJ, Dattani M, Rao S, Cunningham D, Tait D, Adams R, Moran BJ, Khakoo S, Tekkis P, Rasheed S, Mirnezami A, Quirke P, West NP, Nagtegaal I, Chong I, Sadanandam A, Valeri N, Thomas K, Frost M, Brown G. A rectal cancer feasibility study with an embedded phase III trial design assessing magnetic resonance tumour regression grade (mrTRG) as a novel biomarker to stratify management by good and poor response to chemoradiotherapy (TRIGGER): study protocol for a randomised controlled trial. Trials. 2017 Aug 29;18(1):394. doi: 10.1186/s13063-017-2085-2. PMID 28851403