Antitumour activity of patritumab deruxtecan in heavily pretreated patients with active brain metastases of breast cancer and NSCLC

 Results from TUXEDO-3, a prospective multicentre open-label single-arm multicohort phase II study were recently published on The Lancet Oncology.  TUXEDO-3 evaluated patritumab deruxtecan in 3 patient cohorts: 1. patients with metastatic breast cancer with untreated or progressing brain metastases after local treatment"; 2. "patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer with untreated or progressing brain metastases after local treatment" 3. "patients with treatment-naive leptomeningeal disease (LMD) or LMD progressing after radiotherapy from any advanced solid tumour."   

To read more about the TUXEDO-3 study, click here. 

Sources mentioned: 

• Bartsch R, Marhold M, Garde-Noguera J, et al. Patritumab deruxtecan (HER3-DXd) in patients with active brain metastases of breast cancer (TUXEDO-3): a multicentre, single-arm, phase 2 trial . The Lancet Oncology 2025;26(11):1467-1478.  
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• Fuereder T, Garde-Noguera J, García-Mosquera JJ, et al. Patritumab deruxtecan (HER3-DXd) in patients with active brain metastases of non-small cell lung cancer (TUXEDO-3): a multicentre, single-arm, phase 2 trial . The Lancet Oncology 2025;26(11):1454-1466.   
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• Jerzak KJ, Leighl NB, Sahgal A. Systemic therapy for brain metastases: a changing landscape . The Lancet Oncology 2025;26(11):P1398-1400. 

Rethinking the limits of tissue-agnostic cancer therapy

A recent editorial published in the ESMO Daily Reporter raises questions about the impact of precision medicine in personalized cancer care, considering that "patients are still largely treated according to the primary organ where their cancer originates."  Tumour-agnostic agents, drugs approved if cancer cells cause gene or protein changes, no matter where in the body the cancer originated, calls for physicians and patients to engage in precision medicine, "a first step toward a common understanding...in which tissue-agnostic development should be preferred to conventional trials."  

Click here to learn more. 

Thymic health linked to cancer patients’ response to immunotherapy

A recent international study focused on immune checkpoint inhibitor treatment has shown that higher thymic health was associated with a 35% lower risk of cancer progression in a group of 1200 non-small cell lung cancer patients.    While further validation of this finding is required, thymic health "could serve as a non-invasive biomarker of adaptive immune competence in a range of different cancers." 

To learn more about this study, click here. 

Source mentioned: 

Abstract 108O - ‘Thymic health is associated with immunotherapy outcomes in patients with cancer ‘, presented by Dr Simon Bernatz during Proffered Paper session 1: Basic science & Translational research on Saturday, 18 October, from 10:15 to 11:45 (CEST) in Hall 5.2 (Nuremberg Auditorium)  

Increased risk of haematologic malignancies among children and adolescents exposed to radiation from medical imaging

 Findings from Risk of Pediatric and Adolescent Cancer Associated with Medical Imaging (RIC) a cohort study of 3 700 000 children from Canada and the U.S. found a "significant dose-response relation between cumulative radiation dose to bone marrow and haematologic malignancies risk." The RIC study further found that susceptibility of children to radiation-induced cancer is high due to longer life expectancy compared to adults.  In addition, a European EPI-CT study indicates a "50% higher risk among children undergoing two or three CT scans than among those undergoing one scan." 

To read more about this study, click here. 

Source mentioned: 

• Smith-Bindman R, Alber SA, Kwan ML, et al. Medical Imaging and Pediatric and Adolescent Hematologic Cancer Risk . NEJM; Published online 17 September 2025. DOI: 10.1056/NEJMoa2502098
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• Morton LM. Studying Cancer Risks Associated with Diagnostic Procedures — Interpret Wisely . NEJM; Published online 17 September 2025. DOI: 10.1056/NEJMe2511613

Study presents an AI-guided approach to target cancer antigens

 A recent study published in Science provides proof-of-concept that "generative artificial intelligence can offer a valid alternative approach to design precise, functional, and adaptable peptide binders capable of redirecting T cell responses against cancer antigens".  While the authors are optimistic regarding AI-guided methods, they do caution that further investigation is required to determine long-term impact on immune cell function. 

To learn more about this study, click here. 

Source mentioned: 

Johansen KH, Wolff DS, Scapolo B, Fernández-Quintero ML, Risager Christensen C, Loeffler JR, Rivera-de-Torre E, Overath MD, Kjærgaard Munk K, Morell O, Viuff MC, Lacunza I, Damm Englund AT, Due M, Gharpure A, Forli S, Rodriguez Pardo C, Tamhane T, Qingjie Andersen E, Haldrup Björnsson K, Fernandes JS, Voss LF, Thumtecho S, Ward AB, Ormhøj M, Reker Hadrup S, Jenkins TP. De novo-designed pMHC binders facilitate T cell-mediated cytotoxicity toward cancer cells. Science. 2025 Jul 24;389(6758):380-385. doi: 10.1126/science.adv0422. Epub 2025 Jul 24. PMID: 40705893.