Posts by Peter W. PENG

During the recent academic session, Professor Antoine Van Der Heijden from Radboud University Medical Center (Nijmegen, NL) shared comprehensive insights into the management of Muscle-Invasive Bladder Cancer (MIBC). The presentation focused on the clinical significance of histological subtypes, the inherent limitations of traditional Transurethral Resection of Bladder Tumor (TURBT), and the emerging value of MRI and Vi-RADS scoring in precision staging.

At a recent academic symposium, Professor Joan Palou from the Department of Urology, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Spain, presented the latest subgroup analysis from the POTOMAC study. The presentation focused on the efficacy and safety of one year of durvalumab (D) in combination with Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) induction and maintenance therapy for BCG-naïve, high-risk non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) patients aged ≥65 years.

The 41st Annual Congress of the European Association of Urology (EAU26) was held in London, UK, from March 13–16, 2026, serving as one of the most influential academic platforms in global urology. 

The treatment landscape for muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC) is undergoing profound transformation. Although cisplatin-based neoadjuvant chemotherapy remains the traditional standard of care, the pathological complete response (pCR) rate has long remained at approximately 30%–40%, and a substantial proportion of patients cannot receive cisplatin due to factors such as renal insufficiency. Consequently, more effective preoperative treatment strategies are urgently needed.

In 2025, the field of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) advanced decisively along the dual pathways of precision and combination therapy. Landmark developments reshaped clinical practice across disease stages: perioperative targeted–immunotherapy combinations that altered surgical paradigms for locally advanced disease; long-term survival data confirming the durability of first-line immunotherapy-based regimens; innovative later-line strategies overcoming therapeutic resistance; and biomarker-driven approaches enabling molecularly guided treatment for rare non–clear cell subtypes.

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 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 academic conference, Professor Joaquim Bellmunt from the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, presented the latest exploratory analysis results from the IMvigor011 trial. He provided an in-depth interpretation of the prognostic and predictive value of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) dynamics during adjuvant atezolizumab treatment for muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC) following surgery.

At a recent academic conference, Professor Ben Tran from the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre and the University of Melbourne presented the preliminary results of the CLIMATE study (ANZUP 1906). This prospective cohort study aimed to evaluate the clinical utility of microRNA-371a-3p (miR-371) as a marker for minimal residual disease (MRD) in predicting relapse in patients with clinical stage 1 (CS1) testicular germ cell tumors (TGCTs).

At a recent major oncology conference, Professor Johann de Bono from the Royal Marsden Hospital presented Abstract 17, detailing the preliminary results of a first-in-human Phase 1 dose-escalation trial. The study evaluated VAR5500, a dual-masked pro-X10 T-cell engager targeting PSMA and CD3, in patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC). This study provides critical proof-of-concept data for the next generation of precision immunotherapy in solid tumors.