Comparing a Minimally Invasive Endoscopic Procedure With Surgery for Early Colon Cancer
Compares endoscopic full-thickness resection with standard surgery in people with early colon cancer.
Plain-language title generated from the registry record
Registry title: Endoscopic Therapy Or Surgery for Early Colon Cancer
Key facts
- Where
- Gdansk, PolandSee the site
- Phase
- Phase 3
AI summary: who the study is looking for
From the trial's eligibility criteria. Machine-read from the registry text on this page, so it can be wrong. The registry text below and the trial team decide who can take part.
The trial is looking for adults with newly diagnosed early colon cancer, 20 mm or smaller. It compares endoscopic full-thickness resection (eFTR) with standard surgery.
- Sex
- Everyone can join, women and men.
- Disease stage
- Newly diagnosed colon cancer (adenocarcinoma) confirmed by biopsy, with suspected growth into the submucosa. Size 20 mm or less. No sign of disease beyond T2N0M0. The tumour must be removable by eFTR and the person able to have surgery, as judged by the local team.
- Earlier treatment
- No earlier or simultaneous colorectal cancer.
- Biomarker or test result
- No high-risk features on biopsy: high grade tumour growth, budding grade 2 or 3, or invasion of lymph or blood vessels.
Main reasons for not taking part
- Another cancer that is not cured
- More than 10 adenomas or serrated polyps
- Genetic cancer syndrome (polyposis syndrome, Lynch or Lynch-like syndrome)
- Inflammatory bowel disease
- Any reason that rules out one of the two treatments
Read by machine on 12 November 2026.
Where in Poland
- Medical University Of GdanskGdansk, PolandContact: Piotr Spychalski, MD PhDTaking people
Questions to ask the study team
- How often do I need to come in, and for how long each time?
- Are travel costs paid?
- Can I keep my own doctor?
- What happens if I want to stop?
Contact the study team: see the registry record → Contacts and Locations
Print a page for my doctorTrial details
- Who runs it
- Norwegian Department of Health and Social Affairs
- Trial code
- NCT06940947
- Record updated
- 20 November 2025
- Original description
The trial is a randomized head-to-head comparison of the benefits, harms and burdens of endoscopic full-thickness resection (eFTR), a novel, minimally invasive endoscopic treatment modality, for early colon cancer as compared to standard-of-care surgery.Read full original descriptionShow less
Endoscopic THerapy Or Surgery for Early Colon Cancer (ETHOS)
The trial is a randomized head-to-head comparison of the benefits, harms and burdens of endoscopic full-thickness resection (eFTR), a novel, minimally invasive endoscopic treatment modality, for early colon cancer as compared to standard-of-care surgery.
Inclusion: Newly diagnosed biopsy-confirmed colon cancer (adenocarcinoma) with macroscopic suspicion of submucosal invasion considered removable by EFTR as deemed by the local multidisciplinary team (MDT) at the participating center; Size ≤20 mm in diameter as deemed by the colonoscopist; No presence of histopathological high-risk features in biopsy (high grade tumor growth, budding grade 2 or 3, or lymphovascular invasion); Patient eligible for surgical removal as deemed by the local MDT at the participating center; Endoscopic images or video of the tumor; No sign of disease beyond T2N0M0 on pre-treatment imaging, biopsy sampling, and radiographic and clinical evaluation; No contraindication for any of the two treatment arms; Written informed consent; No prior or synchronous CRC; No other malignancy which is not cured; No more than 10 adenomas or serrated polyps; No genetic cancer syndrome (adenomatous or serrated polyposis syndrome; Lynch or Lynch-like syndrome); No inflammatory bowel disease.