IOncology

The thoracic oncology session at the 2024 ESMO Asia Annual Meeting featured prominent oral presentations, focusing on thymic tumors and non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Key studies included the Phase II MARBLE trial (Abstract LBA8) evaluating atezolizumab combined with carboplatin/paclitaxel for metastatic or recurrent thymic carcinoma and the Phase II AL3810-202 trial (Abstract 6250) assessing Lucitanib (Delitinib, AL3810) as a second-line or subsequent therapy for advanced recurrent or metastatic thymic carcinoma.

Previous studies have demonstrated that short-term efficacy metrics, such as objective response rate (ORR), are associated with long-term survival outcomes, such as overall survival (OS), in targeted therapy for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). At the 2024 International Liver Cancer Association (ILCA) Conference, Professor Masatoshi Kudo from Kinki University Faculty of Medicine in Japan presented exploratory analyses on the correlation between efficacy metrics like depth of response (DpR) and duration of response (DoR) with OS benefits. He also discussed their value in guiding systemic drug therapy combined with local treatments. We interviewed Professor Kudo to share his key findings.

The 2024 European Society for Medical Oncology Asia Congress (ESMO Asia 2024) was held in Singapore from December 6 to 8. In the session featuring selected oral presentations on thoracic oncology, Professor  Wentao Fang from Shanghai East Hospital, Tongji University presented findings from the AL3810-202 trial (Abstract 625O), which evaluated Lucitanib (Delitinib, AL3810) as a second-line or subsequent therapy for advanced recurrent or metastatic thymic carcinoma. During the conference, Oncology Frontier invited Professor Fang to discuss the study findings and share highlights from the event.

The European Society for Medical Oncology Asia (ESMO Asia) Congress was held in Singapore，from 6 to 8 December 2024. ESMO Asia is an annual congress specifically focused on multidisciplinary oncology in the Asian region, providing a remarkable platform for participants to share and discuss the latest research findings, clinical trials, and treatment strategies in the field. During the three-day event, Qilu Pharmaceutical unveiled the latest findings from three key studies on iparomlimab and tuvonralimab (QL1706), a bifunctional MabPair® product of anti-PD-1 IgG4 and anti-CTLA-4 IgG1 antibodies.

With the continuous progress in the field of breast cancer treatment, precision medicine is gradually becoming the key to improving treatment outcomes. At the 2024 ESMO ASIA Annual Meeting, Prof. Biyun Wang from Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center delivered a proffered oral presentation in the "Proffered Paper session: Breast cancer" session, introducing to colleagues around the world the latest research findings of her team in screening and guiding first-line treatment of HR+/HER2- metastatic breast cancer with 18F-FES PET/CT. After the presentation, Oncology Frontier specially invited Professor Wang Biyun for an interview. She provided us with a detailed interpretation of the background, significance, challenges, and innovation points of this study, and also looked forward to the research directions in the field of HR+/HER2- breast cancer treatment in the future, hoping to provide valuable references and inspiration for the majority of clinicians and researchers.

Muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC) presents unique challenges due to its aggressive nature and the complexity of its treatment. At ESMO Asia 2024, Dr. Brigida Maiorano shared valuable insights into evolving strategies, including bladder-preserving approaches, novel clinical trial designs, and the latest advances in targeted therapies. In this exclusive interview with Oncology Frontier, Dr. Maiorano discusses current standards, promising clinical results, and her vision for improving outcomes in MIBC.

With the development of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) and the widespread application of immunotherapy, the treatment paradigm for driver mutation-negative lung cancer has been fundamentally transformed. Multiple studies have demonstrated that radiotherapy (RT) can regulate both local and systemic immune responses, triggering anti-tumor immune effects. As a result, the immunomodulatory properties of RT and its synergistic effects when combined with immunotherapy have garnered significant attention within the medical community.

Investigator-initiated trials (IITs) refer to clinical research initiated by investigators, conducted in healthcare institutions, and aimed at studying disease diagnosis, treatment, rehabilitation, prognosis, etiology, prevention, and health maintenance. Unlike industry-sponsored trials, IITs are not intended for drug or medical device registration. In recent years, IITs have become an essential part of clinical research, providing critical data and insights for drug development in China. However, the rapid increase in IITs has underscored the need for enhanced management and standardization.

The 2024 Chinese Congress on Holistic Integrative Oncology (CCHIO) concluded successfully on November 17. Following the strategic framework of "collaborative integration" in disciplinary development, the conference established dedicated sessions on tumor rehabilitation, health education, cancer prevention, and screening. These sessions offered comprehensive and multidimensional insights into new perspectives, technologies, and concepts for the full-cycle management of oncology, spanning prevention, screening, diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation.

At the 2024 Chinese Congress on Holistic Integrative Oncology (CCHIO), Dr. Xinping Cao from Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center presented a comprehensive lecture titled “Advances in Systemic Therapy for Cervical Cancer.” Below is a summary of the key highlights.