The ASCO Post
News and views from the world of clinical oncology and hematology
- 🏥 American College of Surgeons released its annual National Cancer Database report, showing a major rise in neoadjuvant systemic therapy across cancer types—helping shrink tumors, guiding treatment decisions, & enabling less invasive surgery. Read key takeaways 👉 ow.ly/iqfp50Y8NI7
- 🗣️ Matthew Strickland, MD, discusses phase IIb TERRIFIC data evaluating neoadjuvant tislelizumab + chemoradiotherapy vs chemo(radio)therapy for patients with locally advanced gastric/GEJ adenocarcinoma. 🎥 Watch the video: ow.ly/LcNf50Y7JNK
- 🚨 Cancer workforce shortages threaten patient access & research progress, according to a report from the President’s Cancer Panel. 🔹Report by Mitchel S. Berger, MD & Carol L. Brown, MD Learn about recommendations for addressing shortages 👉 ow.ly/nEeA50Y5oX2
- 🚨 New American Cancer Society study: States that limit/don’t allow short-term health plans saw delays in timely cancer treatment initiation after diagnosis. Health insurance is a major factor in survival. #CancerCare ✍️ Jingxuan Zhao, PhD 🔗 ow.ly/kPMk50Y4UpZ
- 🧠 Targeted therapy shows activity in aggressive meningiomas. In a phase II Alliance trial, abemaciclib slowed tumor growth in patients with NF2 mutations or CDK pathway–altered meningiomas. Priscilla Brastianos, MD 🔗 ow.ly/4ZCp50Y3UoA
- 🕊️ “A Battle With My Blood” - the final essay by Tatiana Celia Kennedy Schlossberg, recounting her diagnosis with aggressive acute myeloid leukemia and her search for meaning, hope, and memory. ascopost.com/issues/january-25-2…
- 🆕 The January 2026 issue of The ASCO Post features: highlights from ASH 2025, SABCS 2025, and GI 2026; and an essay written by Tatiana Schlossberg about her battle with AML reprinted following her death. Don’t miss this issue 👉 ascopost.com/issues/january-25-2026/
- 📢 The FDA has issued a draft guidance for the use of minimal residual disease and complete response as endpoints in multiple myeloma clinical trials to support accelerated approval. ow.ly/Q5bc50Y1n9K
- ⚖️💊 FDA & EMA set global principles for good, responsible AI use in drug development. New guidance outlines 🔟 best practices to ensure AI tools support safe, ethical, and effective drug innovation. Read the full list of principles here 👉 ow.ly/C9Ka50Y0BC0
- 📊American Cancer Society’s Cancer Stats, 2026: ⬆️ 5-yr survival rate for all cancers = 70% ⬆️ Significantly increased 5-yr survival rates: multiple myeloma, liver cancer, metastatic melanoma, regional lung cancer ⬇️ Mortality rate dropped by 34% through 2023 ow.ly/bukz50Y0gX9
- 🥫 Study highlights possible links between select food preservatives and cancer risk: • Potassium sorbate, potassium nitrate, total acetates → ⬆️ overall & breast cancer risk • Sodium nitrite → ⬆️ prostate cancer risk 🔹Hasenböhler et al | ow.ly/oJlT50XWc7r
- 📊 Final data from phase III AGO-OVAR 2.29: No significant OS or PFS benefit with atezolizumab + bevacizumab + nonplatinum chemo in recurrent ovarian cancer, though a paclitaxel subgroup showed a favorable OS signal. 🔸 Philipp Harter, MD 🔗 ow.ly/PYjn50XVIWN
- 🔬COMMIT trial shows triplet therapy (FOLFOX + bevacizumab + atezolizumab) significantly improved PFS vs atezolizumab alone in 1L dMMR/MSI-H mCRC (HR = 0.43) • 12-mo PFS: 67% vs 35% Caio Max Sao Pedro Rocha Lima, MD, MS 🔗 ow.ly/Mpgl50XT5Yw
- 🍔A study found higher fast-food spending by block in Alabama was linked to more cases of early-onset colorectal cancer, while higher fruit & vegetable spending had a strong protective effect.🥦 🔹 Blake Buchalter, MPH, PhD 🔗 ow.ly/urH650XT29I
- 🔮 The path forward isn’t AI instead of clinicians—but human+AI collaboration, according to Michael Sobolev, PhD et al. 🔹 Public trust, including for AI’s role in #cancer detection (currently ~15% of survey respondents), grows with experience. 🔗 ow.ly/EOYs50XS1A7
- 🔬Postoperative ctDNA testing may help personalize adjuvant therapy in patients with colon cancer—identifying those most likely to benefit from NSAIDs like celecoxib added to chemotherapy. 👨⚕️ George Q. Zhang, MD, MPH 🔗 ow.ly/XuPs50XS1p3
- 📊Phase III inMIND trial: Adding tafasitamab to lenalidomide + rituximab significantly improved PFS in patients with relapsed/refractory Follicular Lymphoma (22.4 vs 13.9 months; HR = 0.43). 🔺Laurie H. Sehn, MD 🔗 ow.ly/PYBQ50XS1kF
- New meta-analysis shows that GLP-1 receptor agonists likely have little or no effect on obesity-related #cancer risk. Longer-term, cancer-specific studies still needed. 🔸Ko et al 🔗 ascopost.com/news/december-2025/…
- 🩸 Potential new standard of care in newly diagnosed Multiple Myeloma ADVANCE trial from ASCO25: Adding daratumumab to KRd significantly improved MRD negativity vs KRd alone—without added toxicity in selected patients. 👨⚕️ C. Ola Landgren, MD, PhD 🔗 ow.ly/Cx2L50XNJ7S
- Happy New Year from The ASCO Post!
- 🔬 TAP Highlight of 2025: Is this the end of cancer research as we know it? A proposed 15% cap on NIH indirect (F&A) costs threatens labs, clinical trials, and decades of progress in #CancerResearch—jeopardizing patients and innovation nationwide. 🔗 ow.ly/IGA850XNJ41
- #YearInReview: In matched-related donor stem cell transplantation, cyclophosphamide + calcineurin inhibition significantly improved GVHD- & relapse-free survival vs standard therapy—without added toxicity. From #EHA25 🔸 David Curtis, MBBS, PhD 🔗 ow.ly/ZfQ450XNJ1R
- TAP Highlight of 2025 - Update in early HER2+ Breast Cancer: • Adjuvant: T-DXd beat T-DM1 in high-risk residual disease (HR = 0.47) • Neoadjuvant: T-DXd→THP improved pCR (67.3% vs 56.3%) • Signals for fewer CNS events (DB05) 🔗 ow.ly/3BCO50XNIRO
- 🚨 ICYMI: NCCN early 2025 updates impacted practice across: • 🫙 Bladder: periop/sandwich IO + chemo; HER2-targeted options • 🫁 NSCLC/SCLC: more periop + consolidation IO; tarlatamab added • 🧬 mCRC: expanded IO + BRAF-targeted combos • 🩸 Myeloma: quadruplets gaining ground 🔗 ow.ly/1j7j50XNIzM
- Wishing you a wonderful holiday season!
- 👉 Major takeaways from Treatment Advances in Malignant Hematology from NCCNhem25: • Immunotherapy-first strategies expanding • MRD driving treatment intensity • Biomarkers guiding frontline choices • Outpatient management of cellular therapies 🔗 ow.ly/bU3350XNIyw
- Deb Schrag, MD, MPH, has been chosen as the American Society of Clinical Oncology President for 2027–2028 The new Board of Directors and Nominating Committee Members have also been chosen. They will start their terms after the 2026 ASCO Annual Meeting. 🔗ow.ly/8Ve050XNLay
- 🫂 When doctors are the family members, the words hit differently. Filipe Coutinho, MD, reflects on navigating cancer not as a clinician, but as a loved one, and how it reshaped his approach to care. ✍️ Filipe Coutinho, MD 🔗 ow.ly/iJBZ50XNhSz
- 🏥 Dana-Farber Cancer Institute's Neuro-Inclusive Oncology Care & Empowerment Program is rethinking #cancercare for patients with intellectual and developmental disabilities—prioritizing communication, sensory needs, and workforce training. ✍️ Melissa Levin, MSW, LICSW 🔗 ow.ly/yBzM50XNfIJ
- 💡 For women with BRCA1/2 mutations facing surgical menopause: new prospective data suggest menopausal hormone therapy can be used without increasing #breastcancer risk. Joanne Kotsopoulos, PhD | #SABCS25 Learn more: ow.ly/Pcs250XKAqj
- Routine liquid biopsy screening for multiple cancers could cut late-stage cancer diagnoses nearly in half, per new modeling data of 14 cancer types. Earlier detection may significantly improve outcomes and reduce disease burden. 🔷 Chhatwal et al ow.ly/IIKj50XA802
- Catch up on all of the highlights from ESMO Congress 2025! Dive into the latest breakthroughs in oncology in this #ESMO25-focused supplement from The ASCO Post including updates across immunotherapy, targeted treatments, and biomarkers. 🔗 ow.ly/JWtN50XA8rm
- 🆕 American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network study shows patients with cancer increasingly turn to crowdfunding for expenses. Only 11.5% of campaigns meet their goals, revealing major gaps in affordability and financial assistance #CostsofCare 🔸Zhiyuan Zheng, PhD 🔗 ow.ly/GUXl50XA883
- The November 25 issue of The ASCO Post features insights from ESMO 2025, ASTRO 2025, NCCNhem 2025; perspectives on the AI era changing health care, cancer survivor concerns of health care costs, and MORE. Read the full issue 👉 ascopost.com/issues/november-25-…
- 🔬New CAPS analysis: Mild dilation of the main pancreatic duct is an independent risk factor for progression to pancreatic cancer in high-risk individuals. Risk reached 16% at 5 yrs and 26% at 10 yrs. ✍️ Marcia Irene Canto, MD, MHS 🔗 ow.ly/RnRA50XukBo
- 🆕 DESTINY-Breast09 data in HER2+ mBC: • 44% reduced risk of progression/death • PFS: 40.7 mo • ORR: 85% T-DXd + pertuzumab may redefine first-line treatment, per Sara Tolaney et al 🔗 ow.ly/qu8q50XtBp7
- BART trial ASTRO25: Adjuvant Radiation Therapy after cystectomy reduced locoregional recurrence in pts w/ high-risk muscle-invasive Bladder Cancer Modern IMRT to the pelvis safe after surgery—supports IO integration in trials 🔷 Presenter Vedang Murthy, MD 🔗 ow.ly/Qexr50XrI7o
- The NCCN's Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology to be integrated into @openevidence.bsky.social's medical AI platform so clinicians can access trusted, evidence-based cancer care recommendations for decision-making support via natural language search. ➡️ow.ly/QqaK50Xr3w4
- Pembrolizumab + weekly paclitaxel ± bevacizumab in pts with platinum-resistant ovarian cancer led to improved PFS, OS in overall, PD-L1 CPS ≥ 1 populations ovariancancer 🗣️From ESMO25 👩⚕️Presenter Nicoletta Colombo, MD, PhD; Discussant ow.ly/FgHC50XqFJc
- The November 10 issue of The ASCO Post features insights from ESMO, ASTRO, and SOHO meetings; a Special Report on disaster impacts on patients & staff; perspectives on alcohol-associated cancer risks, and climate change & cancer development. Read full issue here: ascopost.com/issues/novem...
- Zenocutuzumab-zbco led to responses in 37% of patients in a small cohort of patients with NRG1+ cholangiocarcinoma 🔹Clinical benefit rate 58%, median PFS of 9.2 months 🔹Presented at #Targets25 by Alison Schram, MD of @mskcancercenter.bsky.social ascopost.com/news/october...
- A conversation with Ravi B. Parikh, MD, MPP, highlights how he has helped increase access to palliative care by integrating an algorithm into EHR to identify patients with cancer who could benefit Palliative care visits increased: 44% vs 8% in control group ascopost.com/issues/octob...
- Living a Full Life: The ASCO Post spotlights the career of third-generation clinician Neelima Denduluri, MD, in conversation with @jameabraham.bsky.social. Dr. Denduluri has been a lifetime advocate for equity in medicine, breast cancer oncologist, ASCO mentor, & more. ascopost.com/issues/octob...
- “Cancer is probably the most vulnerable field for fraudulent research” -Reese A.K. Richardson, PhD, of @kelloggschoolnu.bsky.social Richardson et al reported the amount of fraudulent scientific papers is doubling every 1.5 years due to paper mills, etc. ascopost.com/news/october...
- President Joe Biden has completed his radiation therapy course for prostate cancer and rang a ceremonial bell to commemorate the milestone ascopost.com/news/october...
- Obesity-related cancers on the rise in younger and older adults globally, with data from 42 countries Incidence rates rose for 6 of 13 cancer types; rates of endometrial cancer and kidney cancer rose most sharply From Amy Berrington de Gonzalez, DPhil @icr.ac.uk et al ascopost.com/news/october...
- Only 45% of US counties have oncologists and retirement looms for many New data show number of US oncologists billing Medicare rose from 2014 to 2024, but oncologist density/100,000 adults decreased Corresponding author M. Kelsey Kirkwood, MPH @ascocancer.bsky.social ascopost.com/news/october...
- FDA Approval: The @fda.gov has approved revumenib (Revuforj) for R/R acute myeloid leukemia with a susceptible NPM1 mutation in adult & pediatric patients ≥1yr without alternative treatment options Supportive data from AUGMENT-101 trial show CR+CRh rate of 23.1% ascopost.com/news/october...
- When it comes to cancer survival, study by Tohmasi et al confirms ‘it’s never too late’ to quit smoking. 🚬 Benefits seen across all cancer types and stages, including late-stage cancer Expert commentary from James M. Davis, MD, of @dukecancer.bsky.social ascopost.com/news/october...
- evERA study from ESMO 2025: Oral giredestrant + everolimus improved PFS vs SoC in metastatic ER+, HER2– breast cancer Risk of disease progression or death reduced by 63% in ESR1-mutant cohort, 44% in ITT cohort Presented by @elmayermd.bsky.social ascopost.com/news/october...
