Benefit of adjuvant chemotherapy in patients with ctDNA-positive resected stage II colon cancer

 The CIRCULATE study, comprised of investigators from Arbeitsgemeinschaft Internistische Onkologie (AIO) and the Austrian Breast and Colorectal Cancer Study Group (ABCSG) "evaluated a treatment escalation strategy [to determine] whether patients with circulating tumour DNA (ctDNA)-positive status would benefit from capecitabine-based adjuvant chemotherapy after resection for stage II colon cancer".  While the study could not be fully completed due to lapse of funding, preliminary results indicated that time to recurrence and disease-free survival were improved with chemotherapy vs. observation: 3-year recurrence was 19% vs. 62%, while 3-year disease-free survival was 77% compared to 38%.  

Click here to read more. 

Sources mentioned: 

• Folprecht G, Stasik S, Reinacher-Schick, et al. Chemotherapy for patients with circulating tumour DNA-positive, stage II colon cancer (CIRCULATE)—an AIO/ABCSG trial . Annals of Oncology; Published online 31 May 2026. DOI: 10.1016/j.annonc.2026.05.001
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• Folprecht G, Stasik S, Christmann J, et al. Disease-free survival (DFS) and time to recurrence (TTR) with circulating tumor (ct) DNA–based decision for adjuvant treatment in colon cancer stage II (CIRCULATE): An AIO (KRK-0217)/ABCSG trial . J Clin Oncol 2026;44:(suppl 17; abstr LBA3500).
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• Tarazona N, Parikh A. ctDNA-guided adjuvant therapy in stage II colon cancer: a step forward, but not the final word . Annals of Oncology; Published online 11 June 2026. DOI: 10.1016/j.annonc.2026.06.002

Blood test may help identify which colorectal cancer patients with liver metastases are most likely to benefit from chemotherapy after surgery

Research recently present at the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) Gastrointestinal Cancers Congress in Munich, Germany, indicates that a blood test may identify colorectal cancer patients which has metastasized to the liver and thus "most likely to benefit from chemotherapy after surgery."   Known as GALAXY, the joint phase II study between researchers and collaborations from Hyogo Medical University in Japan and the University of Oxford determined that "among patients with detectable ctDNA who underwent upfront surgery, those who received adjuvant chemotherapy had substantially better outcomes...[with] a markedly lower risk of cancer recurrence and death, including a 93% reduction in the risk of recurrence." 

To learn more about the GALAXY study, click here. 

Sources mentioned: 

1. 8O“ctDNA status and adjuvant chemotherapy after resection of colorectal liver metastases: an overall survival analysis of the GALAXY study” will be presented by Koza Kataoka during Proffered Paper session on Friday, 3 July, 16:30-18:00 CEST, in Room 14
2. Bray F, Laversanne M, Sung H, et al. Global cancer statistics 2022: GLOBOCAN estimates of incidence and mortality worldwide for 36 cancers in 185 countries. CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians. 2024;74(3):229–263.
3. Folkerts AD, Janczewski LM, Merkow RP, et al. Liver-directed therapies for colorectal liver metastases. Cancer. 2025;e70097.
4. Kataoka K, Mori K, Nakamura Y, et al. Survival benefit of adjuvant chemotherapy based on molecular residual disease detection in resected colorectal liver metastases: subgroup analysis from CIRCULATE-Japan GALAXY. Annals of Oncology. 2024;35(11):1015–1025.

Metastasis-directed therapy for oligometastatic solid tumours in histology-specific context

 Findings from EXTEND, "a multicentre, open-label, parallel group, superiority-design phase II randomized study conducted among patients with oligometastatic solid tumours" was recently presented at the European Society of Radiotherapy and Oncology (ESTRO) Congress in Stockholm.  EXTEND is the first randomized study for oligometastatic kidney cancer, a phase II ASTROS trial "comparing metastasis-directed therapy followed by pembrolizumab or surveillance." The EXTEND trial thus emphasizes consideration of control arm with potential adaption to novel systemic therapies. 

Click here to learn more about the EXTEND trial. 

Source mentioned: 

Sherry AD, Haymaker C, Wang S, et al. Addition of Metastasis-Directed Therapy to Standard of Care for Oligometastatic Solid Tumors: Primary Analysis of All Tumor-Histology Baskets of the Phase II Randomized EXTEND Trial . JCO; Published online 16 May 2026. DOI: 10.1200/JCO-25-02856

Towards a chemotherapy-free future in breast cancer?

 New research, set to be discussed at the European Society for Medical Oncology [ESMO] Breast Cancer Congress (May 6-8, 2026 in Berlin) purports that "a less intensive chemotherapy regimen is associated with improved quality of life for patients, without compromising clinical outcome."  Traditional approaches to treatment, with an intent to extend treatment for several years to maximize tumour control, may lead to "unnecessary toxicities and treatment burden."  Multimodal strategies are being explored to de-escalate treatments, such as removing carboplatin from chemotherapy in a neoadjuvant setting, or a positron emission tomography (PET)-guided strategy "associated with a high 3-year invasive disease-free survival rate in patients with HER-2 positive early breast cancer who omitted chemotherapy." 

Click here to read more: 

Sources mentioned (conference abstracts) 

Llombart Cussac A, et al. Chemotherapy-free, pathological complete response (pCR)-guided strategy with trastuzumab-pertuzumab (HP) and T-DM1 in HER2+ early breast cancer (EBC): PHERGain-2. ESMO Breast Cancer 2026. Abstract 214O

Rapesta G, et al. Health policy and real-world strategies in early-stage HER2-positive breast cancer: results from an international survey within the DEFINITIVE project. ESMO Breast Cancer 2026. Abstract 223P

Clinical activity of elraglusib with gemcitabine and nab-paclitaxel in first-line treatment of patients with metastatic pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma

Results of an open-label phase II randomized study, conducted at the Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center of Northwestern University in Chicago has unveiled "a 2.9-month improvement in overall survival in elraglusib with gemcitabine plus nab-paclitaxel arm and a 1-year survival rate of 44.1% vs. 22.3% with gemcitabine plus nab-paclitaxel in patients with previously untreated metastatic pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma."   Due to these findings, additional studies are currently underway investigating the effects of elraglusib together with immune checkpoint inhibitors. 

To learn more about this study, click here. 

Source mentioned: 

Mahalingam D, Shroff RT, Carneiro BA, et al. Elraglusib and chemotherapy in metastatic pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma: a randomized controlled phase 2 trial . Nature Medicine; Published online 14 April 2026. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41591-026-04327-4

New survey highlights the role of clinical practice guidelines to improve care for patients with rare cancers

 Results from a recent ESMO (European Society for Medical Oncology) and EURACAN (European Reference Network to Cancers) had led to a "call for policy action to standardize care pathways for rare cancers after analysis links guidance adherence to patient survival").  According to the survey, conducted between September - October 2025, patients with rare malignancies equate to 650,000 new cases per year, representing 24% if all cancer diagnoses across Europe.  

ESMO and EURACAN thus propose the following actions: 

• Centralize rare cancer surgeries in accredited centres  
• Enforce mandatory multidisciplinary decision-making and time-critical standards throughout patient diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up
• Track adherence to established Clinical Practice Guidelines via national dashboards

Click here to learn more

Overall survival not substantially improved with CDK4/6 inhibitors used in first- compared with second-line treatment in Patients with HR-positive, HER2-negative advanced breast cancer

 Findings from SONIA, a phase III Dutch study comparing "the sequence of an aromatase inhibitor plus CDK4/6 inhibitor as first-line treatment followed by fulvestrant as second-line treatment (CDK4/6 inhibitor first-line group") did not improve overall survival compared with second-line treatment. Rather, this treatment regimen increased treatment-related and financial toxic effects in patients with HR-positive HER-2 negative advanced breast cancer.  Following an analysis of 1050 patients enrolled in SONIA, median overall survival was 47.9 months with first-line CDK4/6 inhibitor and 48.1 months with second-line CDK4/6 inhibitor  

To learn more about the SONIA study, click here. 

Sources mentioned: 

• Wortelboer N, van Ommen-Nijhof A, Konings IR, et al. Overall Survival With First-Line vs Second-Line CDK4/6 Inhibitor Use in Advanced Breast Cancer A Randomized Clinical Trial  JAMA Oncology; Published online 19 February 2026. doi: 10.1001/jamaoncol.2025.6585
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• Valenza C, Burstein HJ. Lessons From the SONIA Trial on Timing of CDK4/6 Inhibitors in Advanced Breast Cancer—The Sooner, the Better? JAMA Oncology; Published online 19 February 2026. doi: 10.1001/jamaoncol.2025.6345

RAS inhibition in pancreatic cancer

 The Experimental Oncology Group at the National Research Centre (CNIO) in Madrid has recently unveiled findings from genetically engineered mice afflicted with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma.  The mice "underwent rapid apoptotic cell death that resulted in complete tumour regressions and remained tumour-free for over 200 days post-treatment."  While results of these animal studies are promising towards determining therapeutic vulnerabilities of pancreatic cancer, Dr. Ben Westphalen, chair of the European Society of Medical Oncology (ESMO) Precision Oncology Task Force cautions that these results cannot yet be applied to patient care. More work is needed to determine side effects of the triple combination therapy in humans. 

Click here to learn more about this news story. 

European parliament adopts its position on the Critical Medicines Act, strengthening security of cancer care in Europe

 The European Parliament recently adopted first-reading of the Critical Medicines Act, expanding "collaborative procurement and solidarity mechanisms, explicitly acknowledging their relevance to specialized treatments, including in oncology."  Now entering interinstitutional negotiations, the Critical Medicines Act ensures that continuity of care for cancer patients will remain a key focus area for European Union health policy. 

To read more about the Critical Medicines Act, click here. 

Neoadjuvant immunotherapy and understanding anticancer immunity

 Study results currently being presented at the ESMO Immuno-Oncology Congress (held in London, England, December 10-12, 2025) showcase the rise of neoadjuvant immunotherapy studies "from small investigator-led window-of-opportunity...to standard of care paradigms across various tumour types."  Using triple-negative breast cancer and early-stage non-small cell lung cancer as examples, treating patients before surgery provides "access to living tumour ecosystems responding - or not- to immunotherapy." 

Click here to read more and note the Immuno-Oncology Congress program details below: 

Mulder K, et al. Residual tumour immune microenvironment shapes relapse risk in early TNBC following immunotherapy. ESMO Immuno-Oncology Congress 2025 - Abstract 328MO

Nijman H, et al. Neoadjuvant immune checkpoint inhibition skews the B cell response in mismatch repair deficient endometrial cancer. ESMO Immuno-Oncology Congress 2025 - Abstract 329MO

Pircher A, et al. Neoadjuvant induction with pembrolizumab (Pembro) plus lenvatinib (Len) in resectable early-stage NSCLC impacts the tumor microenvironment (TME): Clinical results including multi-omic deconvolution of the TME from the INNWOP01 study. ESMO Immuno-Oncology Congress 2025 - LBA1

ESMO launches first congress on artificial intelligence and digital oncology: a milestone in shaping the future of cancer care

The European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) recently launched the inaugural Congress on Artificial Intelligence and Digital Oncology, taking place in Berlin this week, November 12-14, 2025.  With over 1100 participants scheduled to attend, the conference program will include discussions of: 

• Multimodal AI for clinical decision support, showcasing applications in molecular tumour boards and real-world data integration.
• AI-based biomarkers for precision oncology, featuring discussions on validation frameworks and predictive modelling, including the announcement of the imminent publication of the ESMO Basic Requirements for AI-based Biomarkers in Oncology (EBAI) framework
• Generative AI and large language models, with keynote lectures featuring speakers from Google DeepMind and Harvard Medical School.
• Digital health in practice, exploring wearable technologies, remote monitoring, decentralised trials.
• Ethics, regulation, and patient perspectives, addressing trust, explainability and the societal implications of AI in oncology.

To learn more about this conference, click here. 

Rucaparib monotherapy provides long-term benefit as first-line maintenance for patients with advanced ovarian cancer with and without HRD

 Results of ATHENA-MONO/GOG-3020/ENGOT-ov45, a phase III trial investigating rucaparib as a monotherapy in first-line maintenance treatment for advanced ovarian cancer patients, who presented in poster format at the recent ESMO (European Society of Medical Oncology) conference in Berlin, Germany. The study concluded that "sustained long-term improvement with rucaparib was observed in all subgroups examined regardless of HRD or risk status, with 29% of patients in the rucaparib group remaining progressing free at 5 years." 

To read more about this study, click here. 

Sources mentioned: 

• Kristeleit RS, Ghamande S, Lisyanskaya AS, et al. Rucaparib maintenance for newly diagnosed advanced ovarian cancer: interim overall survival, progression-free survival, and safety at 5 years of follow-up from the phase III ATHENA-MONO/GOG-3020/ENGOT-ov45 study . Annals of Oncology; Published online 18 October 2025. DOI: 10.1016/j.annonc.2025.10.007  
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• Abstract 1073P – Kristeleit RS, Ghamande S, Lisyanskaya AS, et al. 5-year progression-free survival (PFS) with rucaparib (RUCA) maintenance in patients with newly diagnosed advanced ovarian cancer in ATHENA-MONO (GOG-3020/ENGOT-ov45) . Annals of Oncology 2025;36(Suppl 2):S721-722.  

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)  

De-escalated radiotherapy after surgery in HPV-associated oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma

A recently published phase III trial in Lancet Oncology, lower doses of adjuvant radiotherapy plus docetaxel "were associated with reduced toxicity and need for percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy", impacting a patient's quality of life.  Following 194 patients with stage III-IV HPV-associated oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma indicated grade 3 or higher toxic effect "of at least possible attribution to treatment...3 months after radiotherapy.." at 3% in the de-escalated adjuvant radiotherapy group compared to 11% in the standard of care group. 

To read more about this study, click here. 

No survival benefit from adding adjuvant chemotherapy to endocrine therapy in older women with a genomic grade index high-risk ER-positive, HER2-negative breast cancer

Findings from ASTER 70s, a phase III randomized superiority study conducted on women 70 years or older "with a genomic grade index (GGI) high-risk oestrogen receptor (ER)-positive, HER2-negative breast cancer" identified no statistically significant effect of adding adjuvant chemotherapy to the prescribed treatment plan.  While the authors od this study admit that more evidence of genomic profiling is needed to determine "whether chemotherapy is necessary for older patents with ER-positive tumours", ASTER 70s has provided little evidence on the benefit of adjuvant chemotherapy for older breast cancer patients. 

To read more about this study, click here. 

Sources mentioned: 

• Brain E, Mir O, Bourbouloux E, et al. for the GERICO&UCBG/Unicancer. Adjuvant chemotherapy and hormonotherapy versus adjuvant hormonotherapy alone for women aged 70 years and older with high-risk breast cancer based on the genomic grade index (ASTER 70s): a randomised phase 3 trial . The Lancet 2025;406(10502):p489-500.
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• Linn SC, Hilbers FS. Balancing quality and quantity of life in older patients with breast cancer . The Lancet 2025;406(10502):P422-424.

Savolitinib plus osimertinib show a high response in EGFR-mutated NSCLC progressed on first-line osimertinib due to MET-driven resistance mechanisms

 Results of SAVANNAH, a phase II study comprised of "one of the largest datasets evaluating an oral MET tyrosine kinase inhibitor in EGFR-mutated non-small cell lung cancer" was recently reported in Annals of Oncology.   Considered to be the first study to use a novel biomarker-based patient selection strategy, results from SAVANNAH "demonstrate efficacy benefit with a chemotherapy-free, orally administered, combined EGFR and MET targeted treatment regimen." 

To learn more about the SAVANNAH study, click here. 

Source mentioned: 

de Marinis F, Kim TM, Bonanno L, et al. Savolitinib plus osimertinib in epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-mutated advanced non-small cell lung cancer with MET overexpression and/or amplification following disease progression on osimertinib: primary results from the phase II SAVANNAH study . Annals of Oncology 2025;36(8):P920-933. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.annonc.2025.04.003

Adding retifanlimab to first-line chemotherapy for patients with advanced squamous cell anal cancer

An international, phase III study evaluating "efficacy and safety of retifanlimab in combination with standard carboplatin/paclitaxel in patients with inoperable locally advanced or metastatic squamous cell anal cancer" not receiving previous systemic chemotherapy was published in a recent issue of The Lancet.   According to findings from the study, 14% of anal cancers are metastatic at diagnosis, 40% of patients with localized squamous cell anal cancer will progress after initial chemoradiation, and patents with distant metastasis have a 36% relative survival rate over a 5-year period. 

To read more about this study, click here. 

Sources mentioned: 

• Rao S, Samalin-Scalzi E, Evesque L, et al. for the POD1UM-303/InterAACT-2 study investigators. Retifanlimab with carboplatin and paclitaxel for locally recurrent or metastatic squamous cell carcinoma of the anal canal (POD1UM-303/InterAACT-2): a global, phase 3 randomised controlled trial . The Lancet 2025;405(10495):P2144-2152.
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• Martinelli E, Martini G. First-line immunotherapy combination in squamous cell anal carcinoma: hope in a neglected disease . The Lancet 2025;405(10495):P2106-2107.

Measurable residual disease adapted consolidation strategy after quadruplet induction therapy for patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma

 Results of the phase III MIDAS study, conducted at the Universite de Toulouse in France, with findings reported at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting, indicated that newly diagnosed multiple myeloma patients "and a postinduction measurable residual disease (MRD)-negative status...consolidation therapy with autologous stem-cell transplantation...compared with isatuximab, carfilzomib, lenalidomide, and dexamethasone...did not lead to a significant difference in percentage of patients who were MED-negative...before maintenance therapy."  Further, the authors of the study emphasized challenges of treating myeloma patients, especially with regards to implementing an effective risk-adapted therapeutic strategy. 

To read more about the MIDAS study, click here. 

Source mentioned: 

• Perrot A, Lambert J, Hulin C, et al. for the MIDAS Study Group. Measurable Residual Disease–Guided Therapy in Newly Diagnosed Myeloma . NEJM; Published online 3 June 2025. DOI: 10.1056/NEJMoa2505133
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• Perrot A, Hulin C, Lambert J, et al. MRD-driven strategy following IsaKRD induction in transplant-eligible NDMM: Primary endpoints of the phase 3 MIDAS trial . J Clin Oncol 2025;43(suppl 16):abstr LBA7500. DOI: 10.1200/JCO.2025.43.16_suppl.7500