IOncology

With the continuous development of medicine and science and technology, the field of breast cancer treatment has seen new breakthroughs. We have witnessed an increasing number of new discoveries and research advancements gradually being applied in clinical practice. These achievements not only enhance the efficiency of breast cancer diagnosis and treatment but also bring more possibilities for breast cancer patients to return to normal life. At the 2024 Southern-Northern Summit, Academician Binghe Xu from the Cancer Hospital of the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences presented a report on "Progress and Future of Clinical Research in Breast Cancer," sharing current screening and treatment advancements, and experiences from clinical research at the Cancer Hospital of the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences. This article reviews his insights.

For hormone receptor-positive/human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-negative (HR+/HER2-) breast cancer patients with no lymph node involvement (N0) and limited high-risk factors, the consensus has been that their risk of recurrence is low, and adjuvant endocrine therapy alone is sufficient. However, with the release of studies like NATALEE, it has become apparent that intensifying treatment for these patients to reduce the risk of recurrence is also necessary. At the 2024 South-North Forum, Prof. Hong Hu from Shenzhen People's Hospital presented a lecture on "Adjuvant Therapy for HR+/HER2- Breast Cancer: Do N0 Patients with Limited High-Risk Factors Need CDK4/6 Inhibitors?" This article reviews the lecture content.

In the vibrant spring of April in Chongqing, from April 19 to April 20, 2024, the "11th Sino-French (International) Advanced Breast Cancer Forum (SFBCS)" was held, co-hosted by several prestigious institutions including the Chinese Anti-Cancer Association's Breast Cancer Committee, the Breast Surgery Expert Group of the Chinese Medical Doctor Association, the Oncology Clinical Research Management Committee of the Chinese Anti-Cancer Association, the Chongqing Clinical Medical Research Federation, the Breast and Thyroid Surgery Department of the First Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, the French Academy of Medical Sciences, and the French Surgical Academy Foundation. Experts from China and abroad gathered to share and exchange knowledge on basic breast cancer research, pathology diagnosis, surgical procedures, and systemic treatment, guiding new directions in the precision medicine era for breast cancer diagnosis and treatment. During the conference, "Oncology Frontier" had the privilege of interviewing Professor Guosheng Ren, the chairman of the conference, who shared insights on the highlights of the forum and the advancements in breast-conserving and reconstructive surgery.

The 11th Sino-French (International) Advanced Breast Cancer Forum (SFBCS) was held in Chongqing on April 19-20, 2024. Experts from around the world shared their knowledge on basic breast cancer research, pathology diagnosis, surgical procedures, and systemic treatment. In the surgical forefront segment, Professor Yongsheng Wang from Shandong Cancer Hospital presented on "Precision Decision-Making in Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy," discussing clinical practice decisions and patient benefits related to breast cancer sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB). "Oncology Frontier" interviewed Professor Wang at the conference, providing insights into the precise selection of patients for SLNB, diagnosis, and clinical management.

For cancer patients, prolonged drug therapy, particularly intravenous treatments, can lead to various inconveniences like infusion reactions and phlebitis. The emergence of new formulations of anticancer drugs not only reduces treatment costs and saves time but also brings convenience to both patients and clinicians. In an era where chronic disease management is becoming more prevalent, how will these new formulations be implemented to help cancer patients move towards recovery? "Oncology Frontier" has invited Professor Jun Ma  from the Harbin Institute of Hematology and Oncology to discuss these issues.

The 2024 American Society of Clinical Oncology Genitourinary Cancers Symposium (ASCO-GU) was held from January 25th to 27th in San Francisco, showcasing the most innovative scientific advancements in the field and discussing future treatment directions for genitourinary cancers. Among them, several groundbreaking studies in the field of kidney cancer were presented, and "Oncology Frontier" invited Professor Xinan Sheng and Professor Xieqiao Yan from Peking University Cancer Hospital to interpret these studies for readers.

The ASCO-GU 2024, a major event in the field of urologic oncology, was held in San Francisco, USA, showcasing numerous innovative research advancements and discussing future treatment directions for urologic and male reproductive system tumors. For patients with non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) who do not respond to Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) treatment, there remains a need to find effective tools to detect the risk of recurrence or progression after second-line bladder-sparing treatments. During the conference, Professor Marie-Pier St-Laurent from the University of British Columbia presented the latest advancements in using whole-genome analysis of urinary tumor DNA (utDNA) to identify minimal residual disease (MRD) and quantify genomic changes, sharing in-depth insights in an interview with Oncology Frontier.

Hosted jointly by the Chinese Society of Clinical Oncology (CSCO) and the Beijing Hisco Clinical Oncology Research Foundation, the 2024 CSCO Guidelines Conference was held in Jinan on April 26-27. It is understood that updates to the CSCO guidelines for kidney cancer treatment are currently under discussion. "Oncology Frontier" interviewed Professor Pei Dong from the Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center at the venue to interpret the upcoming updates to the new CSCO guidelines for kidney cancer treatment.

The 6th Precision Oncology Summit and the 9th Individualized Breast Cancer Treatment Conference (2023 COMB) were held from December 23 to 26, 2023, in a hybrid online and offline format. Professor Yuan Peng from the Cancer Hospital of the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences delivered a lecture on "Precision Diagnosis and Treatment Strategies for Young Breast Cancer". After the conference, Oncology Frontier conducted an exclusive interview with Professor Yuan, where she shared her experiences related to the diagnosis and treatment of young breast cancer.

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is a highly aggressive and heterogeneous subtype of breast cancer, accounting for 15% to 20% of all breast cancers. Compared to other subtypes, TNBC patients often experience rapid clinical progression, are diagnosed at a younger age, have faster distant recurrence, and more common visceral metastasis. Treatment for TNBC is usually limited to chemotherapy, resulting in a poorer prognosis. With the breakthroughs in immune checkpoint inhibitors in the field of oncology, TNBC, as a relatively "hot" subtype among the otherwise immune "cold" tumors, has become a focus of research, showing improved therapeutic effects. Furthermore, neoadjuvant treatment, as a pre-surgical intervention for breast cancer, which aims to "downstage and conserve the breast" and acts as "in vivo drug sensitivity testing," has also received considerable attention in recent years. At the 2023 COMB conference, Professor Qiao Li from the Cancer Hospital of the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences reviewed the current state and future of TNBC neoadjuvant research. Subsequently, the "Oncology Frontier" magazine invited Professor Li to discuss the progress and future directions of TNBC neoadjuvant treatment.