New FOxTROT 5 Trial by University of Glasgow, University of Leeds, and University of Birmingham Aims to Transform Colon Cancer Treatment for Elderly Patients with Promising Immunotherapy Approach

New FOxTROT 5 Trial by University of Glasgow, University of Leeds, and University of Birmingham Aims to Transform Colon Cancer Treatment for Elderly Patients with Promising Immunotherapy Approach

(IN BRIEF) The University of Glasgow is leading the innovative FOxTROT 5 trial, which is offering elderly colon cancer patients the opportunity to participate in a groundbreaking immunotherapy study. The trial will administer dostarlimab before surgery, targeting a specific type of colon cancer that has shown promising responses to immunotherapy. This study, running at 20 UK hospitals, aims to test the safety and efficacy of this approach in older or frail patients, addressing a significant gap in cancer research where such patients are often excluded from clinical trials. The trial could revolutionize treatment for elderly patients with colon cancer by offering new possibilities for surgery avoidance and better outcomes.

(PRESS RELEASE) GLASGOW, 2-May-2025 — /EuropaWire/ — A new clinical trial offering elderly colon cancer patients the chance to participate in a groundbreaking treatment is set to transform future medical practice. The FOxTROT 5 trial, the first of its kind to test an innovative approach in older colon cancer patients, will administer the immunotherapy drug dostarlimab before surgery, a shift from the usual treatment process, which typically involves surgery first followed by chemotherapy.

The trial is focused on patients aged 70 or older, or those with significant health issues, and will run across 20 hospitals in the UK. It aims to test the safety and efficacy of dostarlimab, targeting a specific molecular form of colon cancer known as deficient mismatch repair (dMMR), which has shown a promising response to immunotherapy in other trials. The results of this trial could have major implications for how colon cancer is treated in the future, offering a potential new standard of care for elderly and frail patients.

Professor Campbell Roxburgh, Professor of Colorectal Surgical Oncology at the University of Glasgow and Protocol Lead for FOxTROT 5, expressed his enthusiasm for the study, noting that this trial adds a new dimension to the FOxTROT trial platform and brings hope for more personalized treatment options in the realm of colon cancer.

The FOxTROT 5 trial will be conducted in collaboration with the University of Leeds, University of Glasgow, and University of Birmingham, with funding from biopharma company GSK. This £2.6 million project aims to address a critical gap in cancer research, as elderly or frail patients are often excluded from clinical trials, leaving them without clear treatment options.

Dostarlimab has shown encouraging results in treating dMMR colon cancer, a subset of the disease that is particularly resistant to traditional chemotherapy. By providing immunotherapy before surgery, it is hoped that patients will see improved outcomes and potentially avoid surgery altogether, if their tumors are successfully cleared by the treatment. The FOxTROT 5 trial will investigate whether imaging techniques, such as scans and camera tests, can identify those patients whose tumors have been completely eradicated by the therapy.

The trial will be launched in phases across UK hospitals, including locations such as Ninewells Hospital in Dundee, St James’s University Hospital in Leeds, and Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham, among others.

Professor Jenny Seligmann, Chief Investigator of the FOxTROT programme, highlighted the trial’s significance, stating, “This trial could lead to a new treatment for older patients with dMMR colon cancer, as well as contributing valuable insights into the disease.”

This is part of a broader effort within the FOxTROT platform, which has already achieved success with earlier stages of colon cancer. The trial results from FOxTROT 1, which studied chemotherapy before surgery in younger patients, have led to changes in treatment protocols, making this approach an option under National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines. The FOxTROT platform now includes options for patients in later stages, aiming to refine treatment for all patient categories.

Media Contact:

email: ali.howard@glasgow.ac.uk or elizabeth.mcmeekin@glasgow.ac.uk

SOURCE: University of Glasgow