IOncology

The International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC), founded in 1974, has grown into a global organization with over 10,000 members from more than 100 countries and regions. In 2023, Dr. Caicun Zhou from Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine was elected as the IASLC President-Elect for 2023-2025 and will serve as IASLC President for 2025-2027. He is the first IASLC President from mainland China in the organization’s 50-year history. This year marks the 50th anniversary of IASLC, and at the 2024 World Conference on Lung Cancer (WCLC), Oncology Frontier had the opportunity to speak with Dr. Caicun Zhou about IASLC’s remarkable journey over the past five decades in leading the fight against thoracic cancers.

As we step further into the 21st century, the field of medicine has undergone tremendous changes. Among the many advancements, a generation of compassionate and skilled doctors has emerged, dedicated to the wellbeing of their patients and their nation. The phrase "a doctor's heart is like a parent's" perfectly captures this essence. In the Oncology Frontier series "In Conversation," we reflect on the past with renowned doctors, exploring the highs and lows of their medical journeys. In this edition, we are honored to have Dr. Jie Chen from Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center share her story. Over the past 30 years, she has remained dedicated to her mission. With five major career transitions, she has continually embraced challenges, breaking new ground where none existed. In the virtually untouched field of neuroendocrine tumors (NEN) in China, she laid the foundation for the discipline and paved the way for future advancements.

The American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) Annual Meeting took place in Washington, D.C., from September 29,2024 to October 2,2024. As one of the most prestigious annual events in radiation oncology, ASTRO offers a platform to share the latest advances, focusing on radiotherapy as a primary treatment for various cancers, alongside key updates in technology and basic research.

The data of the KEYNOTE-A18 study disclosed at the Presidential Symposium I of the 2024 ESMO Congress shows that the overall survival (OS) of newly diagnosed patients with locally advanced cervical cancer who received pembrolizumab and concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CRT) is significantly improved (abstract number 709O). The 36-month OS rate of pembrolizumab + concurrent CRT treatment is 82.6%, and the 36-month OS rate of placebo + concurrent CRT treatment is 74.8% (hazard ratio [HR]=0.67; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.50–0.90; P=0.0040). The median OS has not been reached in both treatment groups. The survival benefit is consistent in all prespecified subgroups. At a median follow-up of 29.9 months, the 36-month progression-free survival (PFS) rates of the pembrolizumab group and the placebo group are 69.3% and 56.9%, respectively, and the median PFS is still NR (HR=0.68; 95% CI: 0.56-0.84). The incidences of grade ≥3 treatment-related adverse events in the two treatment groups are 69.1% and 61.3%, respectively. Quality of life (QOL) is not affected. At week 36, using the EORTC QLQ-C30 quality of life index questionnaire, no clinically significant differences between groups are reported.

Dr. Antonio González-Martín from the Cancer Center Clínica Universidad de Navarra in Spain presented the results of the phase III PRIMA/ENGOT-OV26/GOG-3012 study (abstract number LBA29) at the 2024 ESMO Congress. For patients with advanced ovarian cancer with homologous recombination deficiency (HRd), the possibility of progression-free survival after treatment with niraparib is twice that of placebo, although the study did not report long-term overall survival (OS) benefit. Oncology Frontier invited Dr.Antonio González-Martín on site to analyze the clinical significance of this research finding.

The CABINET study (abstract number 11410), presented at the 2024 European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) Congress (September 13-17, Barcelona), updated the latest results of cabozantinib versus placebo in the treatment of advanced neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) after progression following previous treatment. At the conference site, we specially invited the Principal Investigator, Dr. Jennifer Chan from the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston, to be interviewed by us on site.

Immunotherapy for advanced liver cancer has advanced rapidly and has become a standard first-line treatment. A HIMALAYA study presented at the 2024 European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) Congress (September 13-17, Barcelona) evaluated the new immunotherapy combination STRIDE—tremelimumab and durvalumab compared with sorafenib. Dr. Lorenza Rimassa, the Principal Investigator from Humanitas University in Italy, was interviewed by us on site.

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 DESTINY-Gastric03 study (abstract number 14010), presented at the 2024 European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) Congress (September 13-17, Barcelona), evaluated the efficacy and safety of T-DXd combined with FP and anti-PD-1 as first-line treatment for adenocarcinoma of the esophagus, stomach, or gastroesophageal junction (GEJA). At the conference site, we specially invited the Principal Investigator, Dr. Yelena Janjigian from Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in the United States, to be interviewed by us on site.