Month: March 2026

The year 2025 marked a turning point in the management of advanced urothelial carcinoma (UC). Antibody–drug conjugates (ADCs) combined with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) demonstrated overwhelming advantages in the first-line setting, fundamentally challenging the long-standing dominance of platinum-based chemotherapy.

In 2025, China’s renal cell carcinoma (RCC) field achieved significant progress in both clinical management and translational research. Surgical innovation—particularly robotic-assisted inferior vena cava (IVC) tumor thrombus resection—has improved the feasibility and safety of complex procedures. In advanced disease, novel immunotherapy–targeted therapy combinations demonstrated promising efficacy in clear cell RCC and fumarate hydratase–deficient RCC (FH-dRCC). Meanwhile, artificial intelligence (AI)-based imaging models, metabolite-driven liquid biopsy biomarkers, multi-omics molecular subtyping, and intratumoral microbiome studies are advancing precision diagnosis, prognostic stratification, and therapeutic optimization.

The 2026 ASCO Genitourinary Cancers Symposium (ASCO GU) has once again opened as one of the most authoritative and influential global meetings in genitourinary oncology. As always, it sets the direction for advances in urothelial carcinoma, prostate cancer, and renal cell carcinoma. This year, precision-targeted therapy in urothelial carcinoma stands firmly at the center of attention.

At the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting, Dr. Toni K. Choueiri from the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Harvard Medical School presented the primary results of the LITESPARK-022 study (NCT05239728). As the largest randomized, double-blind, Phase 3 trial to date in the adjuvant immunotherapy setting, LITESPARK-022 evaluated the efficacy of pembrolizumab plus belzutifan versus pembrolizumab monotherapy for patients with clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) at increased risk of recurrence post-nephrectomy.

At the 2025 Annual Meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), Professor Jiwei Huang, on behalf of the research team, delivered an oral presentation reporting the latest efficacy and safety data from a multicenter, single-arm, Phase II clinical study. The trial evaluated fruquintinib in combination with serplulimab as a first-line treatment for patients with metastatic or unresectable non–clear cell renal cell carcinoma (nccRCC).

At a recent international oncology conference, Professor Tom Powles from the Barts Cancer Centre in London presented the latest results from the RC48-G001 study. This global, multicenter Phase 2 trial evaluated disitamab vedotin (RC48) in patients with HER2-expressing, previously treated advanced urothelial carcinoma (UC). As a HER2-targeted antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) utilizing a monomethyl auristatin E (MMAE) payload, RC48 has previously demonstrated efficacy in biomarker-selected cohorts in China. This global study further validates its clinical utility across a broader, international patient population.

At a recent academic session, Professor Taigo Kato from the Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine presented the preliminary results of the MONSTAR-SCREEN-3 study. The study investigates the clinical utility of an ultra-sensitive whole-genome sequencing (WGS)-based circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) assay for the detection of molecular residual disease (MRD) in patients with resectable renal cell carcinoma (RCC).

At a recent international medical congress, Dr. Steffen Rausch from the University Hospital Tübingen presented the latest analysis of pathological outcomes and disease-free survival (DFS) from the KEYNOTE-905 study. This randomized, open-label Phase III trial evaluates the efficacy and safety of perioperative enfortumab vedotin (EV) combined with pembrolizumab in patients with muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC) who are ineligible for cisplatin-based chemotherapy.

At a recent international academic symposium, Dr. Sophie Merrick from the Medical Research Council Clinical Trials Unit at University College London (UCL) reported the Patient-Reported Outcome (PRO) data from the RAMPART trial. The study aimed to evaluate the dynamic impact of adjuvant durvalumab plus tremelimumab versus active monitoring on the quality of life (QoL) of patients with resected renal cell carcinoma (RCC).

For patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC) who have progressed after anti-PD-(L)1 therapy, a consensus standard of care is currently lacking. Belzutifan, a first-in-class HIF-2α inhibitor, combined with the VEGFR-TKI lenvatinib, has emerged as a promising therapeutic strategy. At a recent academic conference, Professor Robert J. Motzer from Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC) presented the latest results from the randomized, open-label, Phase 3 LITESPARK-011 study.