IOncology

Selective Internal Radiation Therapy (SIRT) is a validated treatment for liver cancer, yet the influence of the immune microenvironment on treatment response and survival remains unclear. At the 18th International Liver Cancer Association (ILCA) Annual Conference, a recent study shed light on the complex relationship between the immune microenvironment in liver cancer patients prior to SIRT and its impact on treatment response and survival. Oncology Frontier invited Dr. Lin Zhang, from the Hepatobiliary Interventional Radiology Department at Beijing Tsinghua Changgung Hospital, to provide an expert analysis. With a detailed breakdown of the data and expert interpretation, this study offers valuable insights into the role of the local immune state in liver cancer treatment, paving the way for personalized and combination therapy strategies.

From October 25 to 28, 2024, Wuhan hosted an enriching academic exchange – the 9th Academic Symposium of the Chinese Chapter of the International Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Association (CCIHPBA), alongside the symposium commemorating the 110th birth anniversary of Academician Fazu Qiu and a tribute to Academician Yunyi Liu. Oncology Frontier, invited Prof. René Adam, current President of IHPBA from AP-HP Paul Brousse Hospital in Paris, France, and Academician Xiaoping Chen, President of the CCIHPBA from Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, to share insights on IHPBA's mission and the establishment and development of its Chinese chapter.

From September 25 to 29, 2024, the highly anticipated 27th Chinese Clinical Oncology Annual Conference and CSCO Annual Meeting took place in Xiamen. Dr. Rongbo Lin of Fujian Cancer Hospital shared key findings from his team’s research in gastric cancer. During the conference, Oncology Frontier conducted an in-depth interview with Professor Lin, discussing the clinical applications of the POFI and POF regimens for advanced gastric cancer.

Despite ctDNA’s nascent role in treatment decision-making, it is a proven marker of MRD in CRC patients, and research increasingly explores its role in guiding treatment across gastrointestinal cancers. At the 2024 ASCO Gastrointestinal Cancers Symposium, Dr. Pashtoon M. Kasi from Weill Cornell Medicine and Dr. Jeanne Tie from the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre presented findings from two clinical trials investigating ctDNA in CRC adjuvant chemotherapy guidance.

At the 2024 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting, Dr. Alyson B. Moadel from the Albert Einstein Montefiore Medical Center unveiled a study on artificial intelligence (AI). The findings demonstrated that an AI-based patient navigation tool effectively assisted patients who missed initial colonoscopy appointments, significantly increasing screening completion rates. Recently, Dr. John Sweetenham from the Harold C. Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center at UT Southwestern Medical Center provided insights on this groundbreaking study. This article presents a detailed view of this leading-edge research and its profound implications for healthcare.

At the 2024 ASCO Annual Meeting, a groundbreaking study led by Dr. Martijn Ruben Meijerink from Amsterdam University Medical Center focused on thermal ablation versus surgery for small colorectal liver metastases. This study has the potential to change clinical practice. Dr. Shaalan Beg from the Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center recently shared his insights on this noteworthy research in ASCO Daily News. This article presents the study’s key findings and its implications in the medical field.

The 27th Annual Conference of the Chinese Society of Clinical Oncology (CSCO) took place in Xiamen from September 25–29, 2024. This year’s theme, “Patient-Centered, Sharing the Future,” brought together groundbreaking research and developments. Dr. Lei Tang from Peking University Cancer Hospital delivered an insightful presentation on the current state and challenges of imaging in evaluating gastric cancer immunotherapy. In a post-conference interview, he discussed key aspects of imaging evaluation for immunotherapy in gastric cancer.

The 2024 ASCO Gastrointestinal Cancers Symposium (ASCO GI 2024) took place in San Francisco from January 18-20, gathering top experts from around the world to share the latest advances in gastrointestinal cancer research. Dr. Zhi Peng from Peking University Cancer Hospital presented two studies (Abstracts 312 and 317) in the poster session, showcasing the contributions of Chinese researchers on the international stage. In an exclusive interview with Oncology Frontier, Professor Peng shared insights on his studies and perspectives on gastric cancer diagnosis and treatment.

The field of second-line treatment for advanced gastric cancer is a current focal point in oncology research. On February 6, 2024, during the ASCO Plenary Series, Dr. Ruihua Xu from Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center presented findings from the FRUTIGA study (NCT03223376), a phase III trial conducted in China evaluating the efficacy of fruquintinib combined with paclitaxel for second-line treatment in advanced gastric cancer. The study offers an additional treatment option for advanced gastric cancer. Oncology Frontier highlighted perspectives from Dr. Ruihua Xu and Dr. Florian Lordick, Director of the University Cancer Center Leipzig, on the significance of FRUTIGA. Here’s a summary of the discussion.

On October 18, 2024, the 18th National Breast Cancer Conference and the 19th Shanghai International Breast Cancer Forum grandly opened, gathering significant global advancements in breast cancer. In the era following CDK4/6 inhibitors for hormone receptor-positive (HR+) breast cancer, targeted endocrine therapies based on the PIK3CA/AKT1/PTEN pathway have brought new hope to patients. At this conference, Dr. Virginia Kaklamani from The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center shared important insights on the progress of treating HR+ metastatic breast cancer and discussed post-CDK4/6 inhibitor strategies and clinical practice experiences for HR+ advanced breast cancer in the "Viewpoint · SIBCS Special" column of Oncology Horizon.