The 2026 CSCO Academic Annual Meeting was held in Jinan from September 16 to 19, bringing together oncology experts from China and around the world. On this occasion, Oncology Frontier invited Professor Yi-Long Wu of Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital to speak with Professor Everett Vokes, Chair of the Department of Medicine at the University of Chicago and former President of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO). Their discussion explored the biological characteristics of MET-amplified non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), the current diagnostic and treatment landscape in China and the United States, and future directions for international collaboration.

On the morning of September 17, 2026, the plenary session of the 29th Annual Meeting of the Chinese Society of Clinical Oncology (CSCO) grandly opened at Shandong Hall, Shandong Building, in Jinan. Chaired by Professor Zefei Jiang, President-Elect of CSCO, the session featured Professor Shukui Qin, Chair of the CSCO Steering Committee, announcing the recipients of the society's awards. The honors showcased the year's achievements in original research, standardized cancer care, and the development of emerging talent in Chinese clinical oncology.

RET gene fusions are key oncogenic drivers in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Although detected in only approximately 1%–2% of patients, these alterations have a well-established role in tumorigenesis and represent an important therapeutic target in advanced lung cancer. In recent years, the introduction of highly selective RET inhibitors has substantially improved outcomes for patients with this molecular subtype. However, challenges remain in clinical practice, including safety management, acquired resistance, and intracranial efficacy.

The 2026 Annual Meeting of the Chinese Society of Clinical Oncology (CSCO), themed “Upholding Standards and Advancing Digital and Intelligent Innovation,” brought together leading oncology experts from China and abroad in Jinan. With China taking the lead and the global community participating, the meeting showcased the latest achievements and innovative momentum in Chinese clinical oncology. In an exclusive interview with Oncology Frontier, Professor Jinming Yu, President of CSCO and Academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, provided an in-depth interpretation of the theme's significance. He emphasized that adherence to standardized clinical practice is the foundation of high-quality development in cancer diagnosis and treatment in China, while digital and intelligent innovation serves as the core driver of further improvements in quality and care. From clarifying the innovative value of biosimilars to charting a path for Chinese innovative medicines to move beyond domestic substitution and compete globally, progress requires addressing current clinical needs while taking a long-term view of the development of oncology as a discipline.

At the selected target dose of 60 mg, obrixtamig combined with standard therapy as first-line induction and maintenance treatment for extensive-stage small cell lung cancer (ES-SCLC) achieved an objective response rate of 76% and a 6-month progression-free survival rate of 85%. The safety profile was consistent with the known safety profiles of the individual agents.

CDK4/6 inhibitors combined with endocrine therapy have become the standard first-line treatment for patients with hormone receptor-positive, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-negative (HR+/HER2−) advanced breast cancer. However, resistance is almost inevitable. For patients who have progressed after CDK4/6 inhibitor therapy (post-CDK4/6i), remain suitable for endocrine therapy, and have no actionable genetic alterations, treatment options are particularly limited. Without biomarkers such as ESR1 mutations, alterations in the PI3K/AKT/mTOR (PAM) pathway, or germline BRCA1/2 mutations to guide treatment selection, these patients face substantial unmet medical needs.

CDK4/6 inhibitors combined with endocrine therapy have become the standard first-line treatment for patients with hormone receptor-positive, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-negative (HR+/HER2−) advanced breast cancer. However, resistance is almost inevitable, making the selection of subsequent treatment strategies a pressing clinical challenge. At the 2026 Annual Meeting of the Chinese Society of Clinical Oncology (CSCO), Oncology Frontier interviewed Professor Biyun Wang of Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center. Drawing on clinical trial data for kermoxili, the world's first CDK2/4/6 inhibitor, and her own clinical experience, Professor Wang reviewed treatment strategies stratified by patient characteristics after CDK4/6 inhibitor resistance and identified patient populations who may benefit from CDK2/4/6 inhibition. The discussion aims to inform individualized treatment decisions for patients with HR+/HER2− advanced breast cancer receiving later-line therapy, helping improve survival and quality of life.

Treatment for early HER2-positive breast cancer is moving away from a “one-size-fits-all” approach toward dynamic, individualized decision-making guided by treatment response and multidimensional biomarkers. Genomic risk stratification, pathological complete response (pCR), and emerging biomarkers are reshaping strategies for treatment de-escalation and escalation in the neoadjuvant setting.

The 2026 Congress of the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) is fast approaching. Yizekang (lunvenlatug vedotin, BL-B01D1/iza-bren), the world's first approved EGFR×HER3 bispecific antibody–drug conjugate (ADC), has achieved the primary endpoint in PANKU-Breast01, a randomized, controlled Phase III clinical trial in patients with HR+/HER2− advanced breast cancer whose disease progressed after endocrine therapy plus a CDK4/6 inhibitor and who had failed one to two lines of chemotherapy. The study has been selected for a Late-Breaking Abstract (LBA), one of the highest-profile presentation categories at the ESMO Congress. Oncology Frontier invited Professor Yongmei Yin of Jiangsu Province Hospital to discuss unmet clinical needs, analyze the potential clinical value of bispecific ADCs, and share her expert insights.

The phase III INTerpath-001 trial has reported positive interim results at the 2026 European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) Congress, opening a new chapter in cancer immunotherapy. In patients with completely resected, high-risk stage IIB–IV melanoma, the individualized neoantigen mRNA therapy intismeran autogene combined with pembrolizumab significantly improved recurrence-free survival (RFS) compared with pembrolizumab alone, reducing the risk of recurrence or death by 42% (hazard ratio [HR] 0.58; P<0.001). Distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS) showed a consistent, significant benefit (HR 0.62; P=0.002).