ESMO 2026 | Professor Wei Xu: From Tumor Shrinkage to Surgery—Exploring a New Neoadjuvant Treatment Strategy for Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma with Iparomlimab, Tovoricimab, and Chemotherapy
Neoadjuvant treatment for locally advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (LA-HNSCC) must achieve tumor regression and improve the likelihood of surgery while minimizing the impact on organ function and quality of life. At the 2026 European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) Congress, preliminary results were reported from an exploratory study evaluating neoadjuvant iparomlimab and tovoricimab (hereafter referred to as the “combination antibody regimen”) plus nab-paclitaxel and nedaplatin. As of April 2026, 12 patients had been enrolled. The cohort included a relatively high proportion of patients with hypopharyngeal cancer, and most patients had a PD-L1 combined positive score (CPS) of less than 20. The study reported high objective response and pathological response rates. However, this was a small, single-arm exploratory study, and the findings require validation through controlled studies and long-term follow-up. Oncology Frontier interviewed Professor Wei Xu about the study design, interpretation of pathological response, appropriate patient populations, and functional outcomes.
ESMO LBA Insights | Professor Shaodong Hong Discusses TAISHAN-301: Doubling the Response Rate in Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma and Offering a New Later-Line Treatment Option
Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC), often referred to as the “Guangdong cancer,” is particularly prevalent in southern China. First-line treatment with gemcitabine plus platinum-based chemotherapy combined with a PD-1 inhibitor has become the standard of care. However, for patients with recurrent or metastatic (R/M) disease whose cancer progresses following immunotherapy and platinum-based chemotherapy, later-line treatment options remain limited. Treatment still relies primarily on single-agent chemotherapy, such as gemcitabine and docetaxel, with objective response rates (ORRs) of only 10%–30% and median progression-free survival (PFS) of approximately 3–4 months. An effective standard treatment for this setting has long been lacking.
ESMO 2026 | Interim Results from a Neoadjuvant Study in Locally Advanced Cervical Cancer: QL1706 Plus Chemotherapy, with 14 Patients Undergoing Surgery
Concurrent chemoradiotherapy remains the standard treatment for locally advanced cervical cancer. For high-risk patients with a substantial tumor burden, extensive local invasion, or lymph node metastases, rapidly reducing tumor burden early in treatment and creating favorable conditions for subsequent definitive therapy remain important clinical challenges.
ESMO 2026 Voices from China | Professor Li Zhang and Professor Hongyun Zhao’s Team Presents First Large-Scale Dataset on Novel EGFR/c-Met Bispecific ADC HS-20122
For patients with EGFR-mutated non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), resistance following EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) treatment is almost inevitable. The challenge becomes particularly pronounced when resistance develops to third-generation EGFR-TKIs, leaving patients with limited subsequent treatment options and a persistent need for improved efficacy. It is against this backdrop of unmet clinical need that a novel dual-targeted agent has entered the clinical spotlight: HS-20122, a bispecific antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) targeting both EGFR and c-Met.
The 4th One Health | Professor Yonghong Xiao: Advancing the One Health Approach to Address Cross-Sector Challenges in Antimicrobial Resistance Control in China
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) has become a major global public health problem. Resistant bacteria and resistance genes can spread across the human–animal–environment interface through the food chain and the water environment. Relying solely on antimicrobial stewardship within medical institutions makes it difficult to resolve this complex, systemic problem, which is why the integrated One Health prevention and control model is becoming increasingly essential. At the 4th One Health Conference of Antimicrobial Resistance Containment, experts from multiple fields — clinical medicine, animal husbandry, the environment and public health — gathered to discuss the practical dilemmas and development pathways of AMR prevention and control in China. Infectious Disease Frontier invited Professor Yonghong Xiao, Chair of the Conference and of the First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, for an in-depth conversation covering the value and positioning of the conference, the identification of high-risk resistant pathogens with cross-sector transmission potential, the difficulties of cross-departmental coordination, the building of an integrated surveillance system, and the raising of societal awareness.
ESMO LBA Insights | Balancing Efficacy Gains and Safety Management: A Focus on the DeLLphi-305 and SAFFRON Studies
The 2026 European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) Congress was held in Madrid, Spain, from October 23 to 27. Several major advances in lung cancer research were presented, covering cutting-edge areas such as maintenance therapy for small cell lung cancer (SCLC), precision treatment and perioperative management of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), novel antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs), and immunotherapy-based combination strategies. Although the congress has concluded, academic interest in these findings continues. Oncology Frontier has therefore launched a special series to provide further insights into the key studies and developments presented at the meeting.