The 2025 American Society of Clinical Oncology Gastrointestinal Cancers Symposium (ASCO GI 2025) has successfully concluded. At this prestigious event, Professor Yanhong Deng’s team from The Sixth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University had two colorectal cancer (CRC) studies selected for the poster presentation session.

To provide a deeper understanding of these important findings, Oncology Frontier meticulously compiled and analyzed the key insights from these studies. Additionally, Dr. Xiaoshuang Lü, a postdoctoral researcher from Professor Yanhong Deng’s team, provided an expert interpretation at the conference, offering valuable perspectives and implications for clinical practice.

Abstract No.: 278

Comprehensive landscape of FGFR variations and prognosis revelance in colorectal cancer from circulating tumor DNA and tissue gene analyses in 2083 patients

Abstract No.: 203

Real-world outcomes of targeted therapies and local interventions in BRAF V600E–mutated metastatic colorectal cancer: A single-center retrospective study

Dr. Xiaoshuang Lü:The 2025 ASCO GI Conference, as a premier international event in gastrointestinal cancer research, brings together leading global experts to discuss the latest advancements in diagnostics and treatment. This year, Chinese scholars made a remarkable impact, with 29 colorectal cancer studies selected for oral presentations and poster exhibitions, covering a wide range of innovations from targeted therapies to immunotherapy combinations. Two of our team’s research projects were also accepted, which is not only a strong recognition of Chinese clinical research by the international academic community but also lays a solid foundation for future clinical translation.

Our two studies each have distinct focuses. One study delves into the genomic landscape of FGFR mutations in colorectal cancer and its correlation with treatment outcomes. We found that FGFR1 amplification is the predominant FGFR alteration in colorectal cancer and serves as a key prognostic factor, leading to poorer DFS and PFS after surgery. The other study focuses on BRAF V600E-mutant metastatic colorectal cancer, assessing the real-world efficacy of targeted therapy combined with local interventions. The results demonstrate superior PFS and OS compared to conventional chemotherapy. While triple therapy in targeted treatment did not reach statistical significance in subgroup analysis, it still showed a trend toward clinical benefit.

Beyond our team’s findings, I paid close attention to several key oral presentations on colorectal cancer at the conference. Notably, the Breakwater study presented efficacy results of first-line treatment for BRAF V600E-mutant CRC, while the CheckMate 8HW trial provided a preliminary comparison between dual immunotherapy (nivolumab + ipilimumab) and monotherapy (nivolumab alone) for MSI-H/dMMR mCRC.

In specialized discussions, I found the topic of immunotherapy for MSS-type colorectal cancer particularly compelling, especially the potential of neoadjuvant immunotherapy. Additionally, the latest advancements in targeted therapies, particularly CLDN18.2-targeting agents (including monoclonal antibodies, bispecific antibodies, and ADCs), were highly noteworthy. Furthermore, novel immune-targeted treatments across gastrointestinal malignancies, such as CAR-T therapy, T-cell bispecific antibodies, various vaccines, and ADCs, have garnered significant attention, offering new hope for the treatment of gastrointestinal cancers.

Professor Yanhong Deng is a professor, chief physician, and doctoral supervisor at The Sixth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University. She serves as the Vice President of the hospital, Director of the Oncology Department, Head of the High-Quality Development Office, and Director of the GCP Center. She also holds multiple leadership positions, including:

• Director of the Oncology Teaching and Research Section at Sun Yat-sen University School of Medicine
• Member of the National Health Commission’s Expert Group on Colorectal Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment
• Vice Chair of the Integrative Oncology Committee of the Chinese Anti-Cancer Association
• Standing Member of the CSCO Colorectal Cancer Expert Committee
• Deputy Chair of the Guangdong Medical Association Oncology Branch
• Secretary-General of the Guangdong Research-Oriented Hospital Association
• Chair of the Oncology Internal Medicine Committee of the Guangdong Research-Oriented Hospital Association

As a leading expert in colorectal cancer, Professor Deng has published over 70 papers in high-impact journals, including Journal of Clinical Oncology (JCO, 3 papers), Cancer Cell, Lancet Gastroenterology & Hepatology, Lancet Oncology, and Clinical Cancer Research.

Dr. Xiaoshuang Lü obtained her medical doctorate from Tsinghua University’s eight-year medical program and is currently a postdoctoral researcher at The Sixth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, working under the supervision of Professor Yanhong Deng. Her primary research focus is resistance mechanisms in anti-HER2 targeted therapy.