2025 was a busy year for the CITRuS Project.
We continued to analyse the data that we have collected and continue to collect from the CITRuS1 study. The CITRuS1 study tested online questionnaires with 380 colorectal cancer patients at 26 sites in England. Patients completed them before treatment and monthly for two years. Participants said using the system made them feel “listened to” and allowed them “to give something back.” The trial also showed that patients with rectal cancer experienced more symptoms than those with colon
cancer and the symptoms lasted longer after treatment.
We are currently preparing to open CITRuS2 in the late Spring of 2026. CITRuS2 will build on the work of CITRuS1 by testing “Personalised Initiatives for Patient Support” (PIPS) for people with rectal cancer. People taking part will complete monthly online questionnaires for one year. When a symptom is identified that could benefit from support, the trial will automatically provide tailored resources, such as information leaflets, instructional videos or apps. These resources aim to help people manage symptoms themselves, for example by making changes to diet, exercise or healthy sleep routines.
We applied for several grants throughout the year and were successful in winning the local “Bid4Better” grant and a grant from the Pelican Charity. We are currently preparing a national grant submission to the National Institute of Health Research.
The team have presented the CITRuS project at numerous conferences both in the UK and
worldwide. We are grateful for GUTS continued support in this project.
Contact Brachytherapy
Contact brachytherapy, also known as Papillon treatment, is a highly localised form of radiotherapy which allows selected patients to avoid surgery for rectal cancer. This is called organ preservation and is becoming an increasingly popular treatment approach, particularly in people with other illnesses or older people who may be a bit less fit for surgery or for those in whom surgery would result in a permanent colostomy (stoma bag). The first Papillon machine at the Royal Surrey was 50% funded by GUTS in 2014 and since then we have treated 670 patients, making us one of the busiest treatment sites in the world.
The OPERA study was recently published which demonstrated that Papillon combined with external radiotherapy is more effective at organ preservation than external radiotherapy alone. This led to the National Institute of Health and Care Excellence (NICE) recommending that Papillon be considered in all suitable patients. This has made the service at the Royal Surrey busier than ever, with patients being referred from all over the South of England and Wales and even travelling from overseas.
Ongoing funding from GUTS helps us to maintain the database that supports the Papillon service and allows us to find out which people are helped the most by it and also to compare them to other people with colorectal cancer undergoing surgery or other treatments. This is important to give patients more information about their treatment options and help them know how treatment may affect them. Giving people information like this helps them choose the treatment that is best for
them and allows them to feel empowered about their health choices.
