IOncology

Brain metastasis from breast cancer has a high incidence, second only to lung cancer . Previous studies have shown that patients with brain metastases have poorer survival compared to those without brain metastases, with HER2-negative breast cancer brain metastasis patients having an even worse prognosis . Due to the blood-brain barrier (BBB), many drug treatments have limited intracranial objective response rates (ORR). Utidelone, a novel microtubule inhibitor developed in China, has shown potential for treating brain metastases due to its unique physicochemical properties that allow it to penetrate the BBB. At the 2024 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting, a multicenter phase II study led by Professor Min Yan from Henan Cancer Hospital was selected for presentation. This study explored the efficacy and safety of utidelone combined with bevacizumab in treating HER2-negative breast cancer brain metastases. "Oncology Frontier" invited Professor Min Yan to discuss the progress in treating breast cancer brain metastases, the study design and findings, and future perspectives.

As immunotherapy continues to make breakthroughs in treating malignant tumors, it has significantly improved the survival rates of melanoma patients. However, there remains an urgent need to develop new drugs and optimize immunotherapy strategies for patients resistant or intolerant to current treatments. At the ongoing 2024 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting, several studies focused on new treatment strategies for immunotherapy-resistant melanoma patients. Oncology Frontier invited Professor Yu Chen from Fujian Cancer Hospital to analyze these cutting-edge studies, revealing the important roles and potential applications of new therapies in this challenging melanoma subtype.

The 2024 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting was held in Chicago, USA, from May 31 to June 4. At this year’s ASCO conference, the TROPION-Breast01 study (Oral Abstract Session: Abstract No. 1006) once again attracted attention and discussion. Professor Sonia Pernas from the Institut Català d'Oncologia presented a special report on June 1 from 16:24 to 16:36 (Beijing time: June 2, 05:24 to 05:36, Hall B1 | Live Stream). "Oncology Frontier" invited Professor Peng Yuan from the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences Cancer Hospital to interpret the findings.

The 2024 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting was held from May 31 to June 4 in Chicago, USA, showcasing the latest advancements in urological oncology research. Among them, a phase I clinical study led by Professor Guo Jun from Peking University Cancer Hospital on belzutifan combined with lenvatinib for previously treated advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC) was selected (Abstract No. 4537). "Oncology Frontier" invited Professor Xinan Sheng from Peking University Cancer Hospital to share insights on the study.

Previous studies have extensively explored the impact of exercise on patients with early-stage cancer, but research on the effects of exercise in advanced cancer patients remains limited. The PREFERABLE-EFFECT study investigates how exercise influences the quality of life and fatigue in patients with metastatic breast cancer. Oncology Frontier invited Professor Anouk Hiensch, the principal investigator of the PREFERABLE-EFFECT study from the Julius Center at Utrecht University, to discuss the study's findings and their implications for patients.

The 14th European Breast Cancer Conference (EBCC-14) was recently held in Milan, Italy, focusing on new clinical and translational research data in the multidisciplinary management of breast cancer. Oncology Frontier had the pleasure of interviewing the National Chair of this conference, Associate Professor Giuseppe Curigliano from the University of Milan, to discuss the highlights of this event.

On May 16, 2024, the European Society for Medical Oncology Breast Cancer Annual Meeting (ESMO BC) reported updated results from the CAPItello-291 study (183MO). The data showed that the AKT inhibitor capivasertib combined with fulvestrant provided benefits in second-line treatment without affecting the benefits of subsequent treatments. This further solidified capivasertib's role in the post-CDK4/6 inhibitor (CDK4/6i) era, leading the way in precision therapy for HR+ breast cancer. Oncology Frontier interviewed Professor Yiding Chen from The Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine to analyze the progress of the CAPItello-291 study and discuss superior treatment options in the post-CDK4/6i era from mechanisms to clinical applications.

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is a highly heterogeneous subtype of breast cancer that is more aggressive and associated with a higher risk of early recurrence, metastasis, and death compared to other subtypes. The team led by Professors Zhimin Shao and Yizhou Jiang from the Breast Surgery Department at Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center used a previously established mRNA-lncRNA predictive model to determine the effectiveness and safety of intensive versus standard chemotherapy in high-risk TNBC patients. The results were selected for the 2024 ASCO conference (Abstract No. 525). Professor Zhonghua Wang, representing the team at the conference, provided an introduction to the findings for "Oncology Frontier"

HER2-positive breast cancer accounts for about 20% of all breast cancer cases. Since the advent of anti-HER2 therapies such as trastuzumab, the survival of HER2-positive breast cancer patients has significantly improved. The introduction of small molecule TKIs has further expanded treatment options. To explore the real-world treatment patterns, clinical application, efficacy, and safety data of neratinib in Chinese patients with early HER2-positive breast cancer, Professor Jin Zhang from Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, along with multiple hospitals, conducted the NER-Tree study. The study's results were presented in a poster session at the 2024 ESMO BC conference. “Oncology Frontier” invited Professor Jin Zhang to discuss the study.

In recent years, PARP inhibitors like Olaparib have been continually exploring the optimal treatment timing and modalities for breast cancer patients carrying HRR mutations. DOLAF is an international phase II study aimed at evaluating the efficacy of a triple therapy combination of Olaparib, Durvalumab, and Fulvestrant in ER+/HER2- mBC patients. At the 2024 ESMO BC conference, the results of this study were presented. Oncology Outlook invited Professor Man Li from The Second Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University to introduce and comment on this study.