Posts by Mourabit Halima

Despite ctDNA’s nascent role in treatment decision-making, it is a proven marker of MRD in CRC patients, and research increasingly explores its role in guiding treatment across gastrointestinal cancers. At the 2024 ASCO Gastrointestinal Cancers Symposium, Dr. Pashtoon M. Kasi from Weill Cornell Medicine and Dr. Jeanne Tie from the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre presented findings from two clinical trials investigating ctDNA in CRC adjuvant chemotherapy guidance.

At the 2024 ASCO Annual Meeting, a groundbreaking study led by Dr. Martijn Ruben Meijerink from Amsterdam University Medical Center focused on thermal ablation versus surgery for small colorectal liver metastases. This study has the potential to change clinical practice. Dr. Shaalan Beg from the Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center recently shared his insights on this noteworthy research in ASCO Daily News. This article presents the study’s key findings and its implications in the medical field.

The 2024 ASCO Gastrointestinal Cancers Symposium (ASCO GI 2024) took place in San Francisco from January 18-20, gathering top experts from around the world to share the latest advances in gastrointestinal cancer research. Dr. Zhi Peng from Peking University Cancer Hospital presented two studies (Abstracts 312 and 317) in the poster session, showcasing the contributions of Chinese researchers on the international stage. In an exclusive interview with Oncology Frontier, Professor Peng shared insights on his studies and perspectives on gastric cancer diagnosis and treatment.

The field of second-line treatment for advanced gastric cancer is a current focal point in oncology research. On February 6, 2024, during the ASCO Plenary Series, Dr. Ruihua Xu from Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center presented findings from the FRUTIGA study (NCT03223376), a phase III trial conducted in China evaluating the efficacy of fruquintinib combined with paclitaxel for second-line treatment in advanced gastric cancer. The study offers an additional treatment option for advanced gastric cancer. Oncology Frontier highlighted perspectives from Dr. Ruihua Xu and Dr. Florian Lordick, Director of the University Cancer Center Leipzig, on the significance of FRUTIGA. Here’s a summary of the discussion.

On October 18, 2024, the 18th National Breast Cancer Conference and the 19th Shanghai International Breast Cancer Forum grandly opened, gathering significant global advancements in breast cancer. In the era following CDK4/6 inhibitors for hormone receptor-positive (HR+) breast cancer, targeted endocrine therapies based on the PIK3CA/AKT1/PTEN pathway have brought new hope to patients. At this conference, Dr. Virginia Kaklamani from The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center shared important insights on the progress of treating HR+ metastatic breast cancer and discussed post-CDK4/6 inhibitor strategies and clinical practice experiences for HR+ advanced breast cancer in the "Viewpoint · SIBCS Special" column of Oncology Horizon.

Breast reconstruction surgery offers hope for patients to regain confidence and beauty in the field of breast cancer treatment. With advances in medical technology, implant-based breast reconstruction has become a mainstream choice. However, complications related to implants remain a key concern for both surgeons and patients. At the 16th Shanghai Breast Reconstruction Conference, Dr. Benlong Yang from the Breast Surgery Department of Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center led a session discussing "Implant Complications." Following the event, Oncology Frontier interviewed Dr. Yang to delve into key issues surrounding implant reconstruction.

From September 25 to 29, 2024, the 27th National Conference on Clinical Oncology and the 2024 CSCO Annual Meeting, co-hosted by the Chinese Society of Clinical Oncology (CSCO) and the Beijing Xisike Clinical Oncology Research Foundation, was held in Xiamen. Themed "Patient-Centered, Shared Future," the conference attracted tens of thousands of oncology experts and pharmaceutical elites from home and abroad to discuss the latest advancements in cancer prevention and treatment, cutting-edge technologies, and future trends. During the conference, Oncology Frontier had the honor of interviewing Dr. Shukui Qin, one of the founders and Vice President of CSCO. In this interview, Professor Qin reflected on CSCO’s remarkable journey since its founding in 1997, including its development through three major phases: preparation, institutionalization, and cultural growth. Supported by the Party and the government, CSCO has actively promoted five core tasks: continuing medical education in clinical oncology, academic exchanges, clinical research, expert consensus formulation, and patient services, achieving remarkable progress. Professor Qin highlighted the extraordinary progress in primary liver cancer treatment, from stagnation to breakthroughs, emphasizing CSCO’s ongoing efforts to foster multidisciplinary collaboration, strengthen basic and translational research, and explore "combination strategies" to significantly improve the survival rates of liver cancer patients.