Radiomics in Rectal Cancer: a Retrospective Study
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Decoding Rectal Cancer Signatures in MRI: A retrospective Radiomics Study
IRAS ID
240056
Contact name
Rosalind Mitchell-Hay
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Ms Louise King
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier
Calicott Approval , CG/2017/060
Duration of Study in the UK
2 years, 0 months, 0 days
Research summary
The treatment of rectal cancer has improved in the last ten years, with advances in treatment tailored to the individual patient. Evidence shows treatment affects tumours and patients differently. Some tumours respond well, whilst other apparently similar tumours do not. Currently it is not possible to use medical imaging to predict response to treatment.
In order to determine the type of rectal cancer, biopsies are taken. These are analysed under the microscope to provide vital information. These are just very small (3mm) and select samples and not truly representative of the entire tumour.
Prior to the starting treatment, it is only in the radiology scans that the entire extent of the cancer visualised. Patients with rectal cancer undergo numerous scans in order to look for any evidence of disease, both locally and elsewhere in the body. These images help/guide treatment plans in conjunction with the patient’s underlying disease type and medical history.
Currently radiologists, doctors who interpret the images, in their clinical practice, provide a purely descriptive anatomical report which does not fully exploit additional important information that may potentially change patient management.
This study aims to analyse the additional information created in the process of generating images that are linked to the physics and mathematics behind each image, and link this information with the pathology and response of tumours to treatment. This will produce objective variables which correspond to the inherent features of the entire imaged rectal cancer.
This developing field within radiology has been termed radiomics, which may lead to the development of new predictive measurements to be included in scan reports, giving doctors and patients more information about their tumour and its prognosis, thereby tailoring treatment to individual needs.
REC name
North of Scotland Research Ethics Committee 2
REC reference
18/NS/0027
Date of REC Opinion
13 Mar 2018
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion