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

Structured exercise enters ESMO guidelines for colon cancer as recommended treatment

 The European Society of Medical Oncology (ESMO) has released an update to their colon cancer guidelines, whereby "physical activity, when personalized and delivered as a structured program" is now recommended...for patients with resected stage III or high-risk stage II colon cancer." Over a period of 3 years, 889 stage III or stage II high-risk colon cancer patients enrolled in the CHALLENGE study saw significant improvements in disease-free survival over 5 years (80.3%) compared to 73.9% of patients who received health education materials and standard surveillance with no structured exercise program. 

Click here to learn more about the CHALLENGE study. 

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. 

Patient and tumour characteristics may vary across treatment lines in a selected population of patients with mCRC included in randomised trials

 Findings from a large-scale study conducted via the Aide et Recherche en Cancerologie Digestive (ARCAD) database of patients with metastatic colorectal cancer as recently published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology (JCO). According to the study, "almost one in two patients do not receive a subsequent treatment line with second- and third-line treatment rates of 50-60% and 20-30% respectively."  In order to facilitate further research and use, ARCAD is planning to develop Score Prognostic in Oncology Digestive, an app for smartphones, tablets, and computers.  

To learn more about this study click here. 

Source mentioned: 

Bachet J-B, de Gramont A, Raeisi M, et al. Characteristics of Patients and Prognostic Factors Across Treatment Lines in Metastatic Colorectal Cancer: An Analysis From the Aide et Recherche en Cancérologie Digestive Database . JCO; Published online 5 May 2025. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1200/JCO-24-01968

Real-world patients with cancer show lower survival times and treatment-associated survival benefits compared to those included in RCTs

 Findings from TrialTranslator, a machine-learning model involving randomized clinical trials (RCTs), indicates that "median overall survival treatment benefit for real-word patients...[is] on average, 3 months lower than in RCTs..."  While the authors of this TrialTranslator study conclude that "prognostic heterogeneity among real-world patients with cancer plays a substantial role in the limited generalizability of RCT results", machine learning frameworks have been shown to be of benefit in guiding trial design and planning future enhancements in cancer care. 

To read more about TrialTranslator, click here. 

Source mentioned: 

Orcutt X, Chen K, Mamtani R, et al. Evaluating generalizability of oncology trial results to real-world patients using machine learning-based trial emulations. Nature Medicine; Published online 3 January 2025.

Clinical benefit of pembrolizumab in patients with previously treated advanced clear cell gynaecological cancers

 Results from the United Kingdom-led PEACOCC phase II trial regarding the benefits of pembrolizumab on clear cell gynecological cancers was recently published in JAMA Oncology.   According to the study authors, "less than 5% of clear cell gynaecological cancers" are attributed to the vagina, vulva, and cervix. While this clear-cell histological subtype is rare, the authors are adamant that "tissue collection including contemporaneous trial biopsies allows further translational study of the molecular and immune landscape."   

To learn more about the PEACOCC trial, click here.  

Source mentioned: 

Kristeleit R, Devlin M-J, Clamp A, et al. Pembrolizumab in Patients With Advanced Clear Cell Gynecological Cancer A Phase 2 Nonrandomized Clinical Trial. JAMA Oncology; Published online 6 February 2025. doi:10.1001/jamaoncol.2024.6797

Adding 24 Months of ADT improves metastasis-free survival in patients with prostate cancer treated with postoperative radiotherapy

 A new study recently completed at the Institute of Clinical Trials and Methodology at University College London has unveiled that adding 24 months of ADT [androgen deprivation therapy] improved metastasis-free survival in prostate cancer patients undergoing postoperative radiotherapy.  

The study authors further explain that survival benefit "should be weighed against the extended duration of the well-known adverse events associated with ADT, such as sexual dysfunction, metabolic syndrome, and osteoporosis."   

To learn more about this study, click here. 

Sources mentioned: 

• Parker CC, Kynaston H, Cook AD, et al. on behalf of the RADICALS investigators. Duration of androgen deprivation therapy with postoperative radiotherapy for prostate cancer: a comparison of long-course versus short-course androgen deprivation therapy in the RADICALS-HD randomised trial. The Lancet; Published online 16 May 2024. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(24)00549-X 
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• Parker CC, Clarke NW, Cook AD, et al. on behalf of the RADICALS investigators. Adding 6 months of androgen deprivation therapy to postoperative radiotherapy for prostate cancer: a comparison of short-course versus no androgen deprivation therapy in the RADICALS-HD randomised controlled trial. The Lancet; Published online 16 May 2024. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(24)00548-8 
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• Pollack A, Dal Pra A. Androgen deprivation therapy combined with postoperative radiotherapy for prostate cancer management. The Lancet; Published online 16 May 2024. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(24)00802-X

Biomarker analyses in patients with HER2-positive or HER2-low gastric and gastro-oesophageal junction cancer treated with trastuzumab deruxtecan

 Findings of the DESTINY-Gastric01 randomized study, comparing trastuzumab deruxtecan vs. third line or later chemotherapy in HER2-positive gastric or gastro-esophageal cancer patients, was recently published in Nature Medicine. While the authors acknowledge that further investigations in larger studies is needed, "the biomarkers identified in this analysis are being investigated and validated in additional studies." 

To learn more about DESTINY-Gastric01, click here. 

Source mentioned: Shitara K, Bang Y-J, Iwasa S, et al. Trastuzumab deruxtecan in HER2-positive advanced gastric cancer: exploratory biomarker analysis of the randomized, phase 2 DESTINY-Gastric01 trial. Nature Medicine; Published online 14 May 2024. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41591-024-02992-x

FDA approves enfortumab vedotin-ejfv with pembrolizumab for locally advanced or metastatic urothelial cancer

 The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently approved the use of enfortumab vedotin-ejfv, together with pembrolizumab for patients with locally advanced or metastatic urothelial cancer.  Results from a randomized study of 886 patients indicated "statistically significant improvements in both overall survival and progression-free survival (31.5 months on average) compared to platinum-based chemotherapy (16.1 months)." 

To learn more about this study, click here. 

Reconnecting to life after cancer: permission to heal (webinar)

The National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship (NCCS) has recently launched the webinar, "Reconnecting to Life After Cancer: Permission to Heal", presented by a holistic cancer coach and cancer survivor.  The webinar will include discussions about "the evolutionary function of both positive and negative emotions, understand that emotions offer data, and begin to practice awareness to empower you to respond-instead of react-to life."   

Click here to watch the video, or watch on YouTube.

Concurrent chemoradiotherapy followed by adjuvant cisplatin-gemcitabine for the treatment of patients with locoregionally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma

The first randomized, controlled phase III trial assessing the efficacy and safety of adding adjuvant cisplatin-gemcitabine chemotherapy after concurrent chemoradiotherapy was recently unveiled at the 2023 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting in Chicago.  The trial indicated "significant improvement in 3-year progression-free survival (PFS) compared with cisplatin-fluorouracil regimen in patients with locoregionally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma."  

To read more about this trial, click here. 

Sources mentioned: 

• Liu L-T, Liu H, Huang Y, et al. Concurrent chemoradiotherapy followed by adjuvant cisplatin–gemcitabine versus cisplatin–fluorouracil chemotherapy for N2–3 nasopharyngeal carcinoma: a multicentre, open-label, randomised, controlled, phase 3 trial. The Lancet Oncology; Published online 5 June 2023: DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S1470-2045(23)00232-2
• Yip PL, Lee AWM, Chua MLK. Adjuvant chemotherapy in nasopharyngeal carcinoma. The Lancet Oncology; Published online 5 June 2023: DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S1470-2045(23)00266-8
• Tang L-Q, Liu L-T, Liu H, et al. Concurrent chemoradiotherapy followed by adjuvant cisplatin-gemcitabine versus cisplatin-5-fluorouracil chemotherapy for N2-3 nasopharyngeal carcinoma: A multicentre, open-label, randomised, controlled, phase 3 trial. J Clin Oncol 41, 2023 (suppl 16; abstr 6000).

Use of immune checkpoint inhibitors safe and effective in cancer patients with HIV and on antiretroviral therapy

 A recently conducted retrospective study by the Cancer Therapy Using Checkpoint Inhibitors in People Living with HIV-International (CATCH0IT) Consortium determined that immune checkpoint inhibitors were found to be safe and had "differential activity across tumour types."  CATCH-IT enrolled 390 cancer patients with HIV into their cohort, "who received anti-PD-1 or anto-PD-L1 therapies and evaluated the safety and activity." This cohort was unique, as patients with HIV are at higher risk for developing cancer, due to dysfunctional immune systems.   The 3 most common cancer identified in the cohort included non-small-cell lung cancer (28%), hepatocellular carcinoma (11%), and head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (10%).  While the study authors acknowledged the relatively small sample size for this study, the results do support "the growing body of evidence [among] the use of ICIs [in] patients with HIV to enhance their inclusion in clinical studies." 

To read more about this study, click here.

Source mentioned: 

El Zarif T, Nassar AH, Adib E, et al. Safety and Activity of Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors in People Living With HIV and Cancer: A Real-World Report From the Cancer Therapy Using Checkpoint Inhibitors in People Living With HIV-International (CATCH-IT) Consortium. JCO; Published online 16 May 2023. DOI: 10.1200/JCO.22.02459

ESMO launches living guidelines to enhance the usability in routine cancer patient care

 A recent press release from the European Society of Medical Oncology (ESMO) announces the release of the ESMO Living Guidelines, "a new tool designed to make [guidelines] easier to use in oncologists' routine clinical practice and support optimal decision-making in a rapidly evolving medical field." The guidelines provide an overview of patient management, including decision-making algorithms and key recommendations; they are to be considered a supplement to the ESMO Clinical Practice Guidelines, which remain the key "reference source for the optimal management of each tumour type and disease setting."  

To read more about these guidelines, click here.  

Exposure to antibiotics before treatment with immune checkpoint inhibitor associated with worse overall survival among older adults with cancer

A large population-level study from the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre in Toronto indicated that "antibiotic exposure and specifically fluoroquinolones before treatment with immune checkpoint inhibitor were associated with worse overall survival, with fluoroquinolone exposure conferring up to a 65% increased risk of mortality among older adults with cancer."   Of the 2,737 cancer patients who were administered immune checkpoint inhibitors, 59% received antibiotics 1 year before ICU treatment, while 19% received antibiotics 60 days before ICI.  The authors of the study further state that more data is required to further explore the association between antibiotic exposure, ICI treatment and survival outcomes among cancer patients in diverse settings. 

To read more about this study, click here. 

Sources mentioned: 

• Eng L, Sutradhar R, Niu Y, et al. Impact of Antibiotic Exposure Before Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor Treatment on Overall Survival in Older Adults With Cancer: A Population-Based Study. JCO; Published online 24 February 2023. DOI: 10.1200/JCO.22.00074
• Pinato DJ, Cortellini A. Antibiotic Therapy: The Cornerstone of Iatrogenic Resistance to Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors. JCO; Published online 24 February 2023. DOI: 10.1200/JCO.23.00049

Patient-reported symptom burden and supportive care needs of patients with stage II-III colorectal cancer during and after adjuvant systemic treatment

 A retrospective population-based cohort study conducted on newly diagnosed stage II-III colorectal cancer patients in Calgary, Alberta, Canada was recently published in JCO Oncology Practice.  The study, conducted on 303 patients over a period of 3 years (January 2016 - January 2019), indicated that while symptom severity was low and most systems either remained stable and/or or improved following adjuvant systemic treatment, "ongoing assessments and interventions to address physical and psychologic symptoms and supportive care needs in patients [with colorectal cancer] during and after treatment are needed." 

Study mentioned: Cuthbert CA, O'Sullivan DE, Boyne DJ, Brenner DR, Cheung WY. Patient-Reported Symptom Burden and Supportive Care Needs of Patients With Stage II-III Colorectal Cancer During and After Adjuvant Systemic Treatment: A Real-World Evidence Study. JCO Oncol Pract. 2023 Jan 6:OP2200462. doi: 10.1200/OP.22.00462. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 36608313.

Press Release: Ethnic diversity and disparities in access to genetic testing impact prostate cancer development and treatment

A press release from the European Society of Medical Oncology (ESMO) discusses the importance and need for "ethnically diverse prostate cancer genomics data and accessible genetic testing."   According to Dr. Rodrigo Dienstmann, an oncologist with joint appointments at the Grupo Oncoclinicas in Sao Paulo Brazil as well as the Vall d'Hebron Institute of Oncology in Barcelona, Spain, predisposition to prostate cancer does vary across ethnicities, particularly in men of African and Caribbean descent, who are at increased risk: "such race-related differences can condition the behaviour of the disease and its treatment, yet our current knowledge of prostate cancer genomics is largely limited to data from Europe and the USA, in which Asian and other non-Caucasian ethnicities are scarcely represented." 

To learn more about this press release, click here.  

Long-term follow-up confirms pembrolizumab and pembrolizumab-chemotherapy as effective first-line treatment options for recurrent or metastatic HNSCC

 A recently published follow-up study of the first-line pembrolizumab and pembrolizumab-chemotherapy KEYNOTE-048 trial "continued to demonstrate overall survival benefit compared with cetuximab-chemotherapy" in head and neck cancer patients.  A 4-year follow-up period noted a survival plateau of 20% for patients administered pembrolizumab alone, and a 30% survival rate for those patients receiving a pembrolizumab-chemotherapy combination.  However, study authors did observe more favourable side effects in patients receive pembrolizumab alone without additional chemotherapy.  

To read more about this study, click here. 

Sources mentioned:  

Harrington KJ, Burtness B, Greil R, et al. Pembrolizumab With or Without Chemotherapy in Recurrent or Metastatic Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma: Updated Results of the Phase III KEYNOTE-048 Study. JCO; Published online 11 October 2022. DOI: 10.1200/JCO.21.02508 

Ho AL. Immunotherapy, Chemotherapy, or Both: Options for First-Line Therapy for Patients With Recurrent or Metastatic Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma. JCO; Published online 12 October 2022. DOI: 10.1200/JCO.22.01408

Food, housing, transportation insecurity associated with disparities in cancer care and patient outcomes

 A series of three papers discussing housing, transportation, and food insecurity among cancer patients were recently published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute (JNCI).  Researchers "summarized existing evidence related to disparities in cancer care and patient outcomes, as well as identifying promising interventions and research opportunities to inform policy and improve health equity."  

To read more about these studies and the programs that have been developed to combat inequities regarding access to cancer care, click here. 

Sources mentioned:  

Sanchez JI, Adjei BA, Randhawa G, Medel J, Doose M, Oh A, Jacobsen PB. National Cancer Institute-funded Social Risk Research in Cancer Care Delivery: Opportunities for Future Research. J Natl Cancer Inst. 2022 Sep 8:djac171. doi: 10.1093/jnci/djac171. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 36073952.

Graboyes EM, Chaiyachati KH, Sisto Gall J, Johnson W, Krishnan JA, McManus SS, Thompson L, Shulman LN, Yabroff KR. Addressing Transportation Insecurity Among Patients With Cancer. J Natl Cancer Inst. 2022 Sep 21:djac134. doi: 10.1093/jnci/djac134. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 36130286.

Fan Q, Keene DE, Banegas MP, Gehlert S, Gottlieb LM, Yabroff KR, Pollack CE. Housing Insecurity Among Patients With Cancer. J Natl Cancer Inst. 2022 Sep 21:djac136. doi: 10.1093/jnci/djac136. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 36130291.