Recruiting

Chemotherapy before surgery for recurrent liver cancer from colon cancer

Plain-English translation of NCT05861505 on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗ · Source last updated May 2023 · Translation generated June 2026 · How we translate trials

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Phase 3 — Testing in thousands of people, comparing the treatment against what doctors currently use. This is the last big step before approval.

What is this trial?

The COLLISION RELAPSE trial is testing whether patients with recurrent colon cancer in the liver benefit from receiving chemotherapy first (either CAPOX or FOLFIRI) before undergoing repeat surgery or ablation (a heat treatment to destroy tumors). The study compares this approach to having surgery right away without chemotherapy first, to see which helps patients live longer.

When colon cancer spreads to the liver and comes back after initial treatment, doctors need to know the best strategy: treat it surgically immediately, or give systemic chemotherapy first to shrink tumors and eliminate any microscopic disease before operating. This trial aims to answer that question.

Do you qualify?

You likely qualify if…

you are over 18 years old with good overall health and ability to function in daily life
you have been diagnosed with colon cancer that has spread to the liver and has recurred within 12 months of your first liver treatment
you have five or fewer new tumors in your liver that can be surgically removed or destroyed
you have no cancer spread outside the liver
you have never received chemotherapy, or you previously tolerated CAPOX, FOLFOX, or FOLIRI without disease progression

You likely don't qualify if…

you have cancer spread to other organs outside the liver
you have a genetic condition called MSI or dMMR in your tumor
your liver is severely damaged or shows signs of advanced disease, such as ascites (fluid buildup)
you are pregnant, breastfeeding, or have received chemotherapy within the past 6 weeks
you have an uncontrolled infection or severe allergy to contrast dye that cannot be managed with preventive medication

What participation looks like

You will be randomly assigned to one of two groups. One group will proceed directly to surgery or ablation to remove liver tumors. The other group will first receive 12 weeks of chemotherapy (CAPOX or FOLFIRI, up to 4 cycles), then undergo the same surgical or ablation procedure. You will have regular visits for scans, blood tests, and checkups to monitor your progress and any side effects throughout the study.

AI-generated summary from trial data · Jun 30, 2026 · Not medical advice

Trial locations(1 site)

Netherlands

Amsterdam UMC, Amsterdam