Posts by Peter W. PENG

We are pleased to share an expert discussion with Dr. Peter Schmid on the findings from the pivotal Keynote 522 trial. This landmark Phase 3 study investigates the impact of combining chemotherapy with immunotherapy (Pembrolizumab) in early-stage triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). The trial’s results highlight a 34% reduction in the risk of death, marking a significant advancement in patient outcomes and offering new hope for TNBC treatment strategies.

In the past, there has been ongoing debate about the therapeutic value of radiotherapy in resectable gastric cancer. The TOPGEAR study presented at the 2024 European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) Congress (September 13-17, Barcelona) evaluated the comparison between preoperative chemoradiotherapy and perioperative chemotherapy alone. Dr. Trevor Leong, the Principal Investigator from the University of Melbourne in Australia, was interviewed by us on site.

The 27th National Clinical Oncology Conference and 2024 CSCO Annual Meeting, hosted by the Chinese Society of Clinical Oncology (CSCO) and the Beijing Xisike Clinical Oncology Research Foundation, is about to open in Xiamen. This grand event will bring together top domestic and international experts to share the latest research results and practical experiences. Ahead of the conference, Oncology Frontier interviewed Dr. Jun Guo of Peking University Cancer Hospital, who reflected on CSCO's development over the past two decades. He also introduced the key features and value of the newly updated CSCO Guidelines for Melanoma Diagnosis and Treatment and the CSCO Patient Education Manual - Melanoma. Emphasizing early detection and treatment, Professor Guo highlighted the promising outlook for melanoma therapy in China, where patients can expect improved survival rates and better quality of life thanks to the emergence of new drugs and advanced treatment concepts.

From August 2 to 4, 2024, the 7th Oncology Precision Diagnosis and Treatment and the 10th Breast Cancer Individualized Treatment Conference (COMB), hosted by the China Cancer Foundation and the Beijing Breast Disease Prevention and Treatment Society, took place in Beijing. This conference focused on the development of individualized precision treatment in the field of breast cancer in China. Dr. Jin Zhang from Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital chaired a session titled “New Concepts in Regional Management of Breast Cancer,” discussing the precise development of comprehensive regional treatment for breast cancer. At the conference, Oncology Frontier had the opportunity to interview Dr. Jin Zhang, who shared insights on the de-escalation in early breast cancer surgery and explored the current status of anti-HER2 therapy and its clinical practice in advanced breast cancer.

Dr. Jiafu Ji, Dr. Ziyu Li, and Dr.  Lin Shen from Peking Cancer Hospital have co-authored a research paper titled “Cadonilimab with chemotherapy in HER2-negative gastric or gastroesophageal junction adenocarcinoma: the phase 1b/2 COMPASSION-04 trial”, published online in Nature Medicine. The study addresses several critical clinical issues, such as the limited benefit of PD-1 monoclonal antibody treatment, the high incidence of adverse effects with PD-1 and CTLA-4 combination therapy, and the ineffectiveness of PD-1 combined with chemotherapy in patients with low or negative CPS scores. To tackle these challenges, the researchers innovatively employed a domestically developed PD-1/CTLA-4 dual-target antibody in the COMPASSION-04 study, marking the first clinical trial globally to evaluate this combination as a first-line treatment for advanced gastric cancer.

The 2024 European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) Annual Meeting recently concluded in Barcelona, Spain, bringing together the world's leading oncology experts. At this year's conference, Dr. Yuhong Zhou from Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, presented a phase II multicenter clinical trial that explored the efficacy and safety of surufatinib combined with gemcitabine in soft tissue sarcoma (STS) patients who had failed anthracycline chemotherapy or anlotinib monotherapy. The study offers new perspectives for clinical practice.

With the rapid development of genetic testing technology, the treatment strategies for patients with cancer of unknown primary (CUP) are undergoing revolutionary changes. During the 2024 ESMO Congress, the World CUP Alliance held a special "Roundtable on Access & Awareness of Precision Oncology" at the ESMO Congress, looking forward to the current treatment of CUP patients. After the meeting, Oncology Frontier specially invited Prof. Xichun Hu from Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Prof. Linda Mileshkin from Peter MacCallum Cancer Center in Australia, Prof. Manel Esteller from Josep Carreras Leukemia Research Institute in Spain, and Prof. Qinghua Xu from Hangzhou Gene Help Technology Co., Ltd Help to gather together and discuss in depth the new advances in the treatment of CUP. From the positive data of the CUPISCO trial to the results of the Fudan CUP-001 study, the experts not only shared cutting-edge research results but also proposed valuable insights on how to improve the diagnostic accuracy for CUP patients and promote the implementation of personalized treatment plans, bringing new treatment hopes for CUP patients worldwide.