Posts by Peter W. PENG

Lateral lymph node (LLN) metastasis in locally advanced rectal cancer is associated with patient prognosis. However, the clinical significance of lateral lymph node dissection (LLND) has always been a matter of debate in the academic community. We have invited Dr. Petrv Tsarkov from Chechenov State Medical University in Moscow to share his insights and thoughts on the clinical controversies surrounding lymph node dissection in colorectal cancer.

Breast cancer is the most common malignancy among women worldwide, with approximately 5% to 10% of patients carrying BRCA gene mutations. These patients often present with more advanced disease, face a higher risk of recurrence, and have poorer prognoses. For patients with germline BRCA-mutated (gBRCA) triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), platinum-based chemotherapy remains the standard treatment but offers limited survival benefits and comes with significant side effects. Meanwhile, for hormone receptor-positive (HR+)/human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-negative (HER2-) breast cancer patients, endocrine therapy combined with CDK4/6 inhibitors is the first-line standard treatment. However, the optimal therapy after progression on CDK4/6 inhibitors is still unclear. In this era of precision medicine, there is a pressing need for more effective treatments for gBRCA-mutated HER2-negative breast cancer. At the 2024 Cross-Strait Breast Cancer Forum and the Annual Academic Conference of the Fujian Medical Association Breast Disease Branch, Oncology Frontier invited Dr. Huiping Li from Peking University Cancer Hospital to discuss the latest progress in precision treatment for BRCA-mutated breast cancer.

The 16th Shanghai Breast Cancer Symposium and Annual Meeting of the Shanghai Anti-Cancer Association Breast Cancer Committee, hosted by the Chinese Anti-Cancer Association Breast Cancer Professional Committee (CBCS) and the Shanghai Anti-Cancer Association, and organized by the Breast Cancer Professional Committee of the Shanghai Anti-Cancer Association, was held from December 20 to 21, 2024, in Shanghai. On the afternoon of December 21, the 2025 CBCS & CSOBO Breast Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment Guidelines and Standards (Essentials), known as the "Little Red Book," was officially released. Oncology Frontier invited Dr. Jian Zhang, a key member of the guideline development team and expert from Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, to discuss updates on medical treatments for various breast cancer subtypes in the new edition.

Among breast cancer subtypes, triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) has long been a clinical challenge due to its high malignancy and poor prognosis. Traditional therapies for advanced TNBC often yield suboptimal results, but the rise of immunotherapy has brought new hope to patients.

To advance the standard of care for gastrointestinal cancers in China and share the latest developments and insights, the "2024 CSCO Workshop on Standardized Diagnosis and Treatment of Gastrointestinal Cancers," co-hosted by the Chinese Society of Clinical Oncology (CSCO), the Beijing Xisike Clinical Oncology Research Foundation, and the Hangzhou Oriental Clinical Oncology Research Center, took place in Shanghai from August 17–18, 2024.

From December 6–8, 2024, the ESMO Asia Annual Meeting was held in Singapore, presenting groundbreaking research in oncology. Among the key highlights was the DESTINY-Gastric06 (DG06) study, which sparked extensive discussion. Oncology Frontier invited Prof. Zhi Peng, a leading researcher and specialist from Peking University Cancer Hospital, to share the latest findings from the DG06 study and insights into the role and future potential of antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) in cancer treatment.

Pathogenic germline mutations in certain genes are known to increase the risk of hereditary breast cancer. Approximately 5% to 10% of all breast cancer cases are hereditary, primarily driven by such mutations, with BRCA1/2 being the most common. Germline mutations also guide treatment decisions, as patients with pathogenic BRCA1/2 germline mutations may benefit from PARP inhibitor-based therapies.

Treatment strategies for HR+/HER2+ breast cancer have long been a focus of research. On December 11 (Central Time), during the 47th San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium (SABCS), the results of the TOUCH study (Abstract RF1-02) were released, drawing significant attention. This international, open-label Phase II trial explored the efficacy of a chemotherapy-free approach in the neoadjuvant treatment of early HR+/HER2+ breast cancer. Dr. Feng Jin (The First Hospital of China Medical University), Dr. Diandong Zhang (Zhongshan Hospital, Dalian University), and Dr. Xinmiao Yu (The First Hospital of China Medical University) were invited to provide in-depth commentary on the study.