IOncology

At the 2024 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium (SABCS), one of the world’s most prestigious events in breast cancer research, Chinese scholars once again demonstrated their exceptional expertise and innovative spirit in the field of breast cancer treatment. A groundbreaking study led by Dr. Nanlin Li and his team from Xijing Hospital of the Air Force Medical University brings renewed hope to breast cancer patients in China and offers fresh strategies to the global breast cancer research community. This study focuses on precision therapy for breast cancer, exploring the efficacy and safety of envafolimab combined with pyrotinib and nab-paclitaxel in the neoadjuvant treatment of HER2-positive breast cancer. Below, we provide a detailed introduction to the research.

From December 10 to 13, 2024, the 47th San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium (SABCS) took place in San Antonio, USA. As one of the largest and most prestigious scientific gatherings in the field of breast cancer research, SABCS showcased the latest findings, clinical practices, treatment advancements, and technological innovations from the past year.Among the many noteworthy contributions, a study by Dr. Yunjian Liu's team from The Fourth Hospital of Hebei Medical University stood out. Their research focused on the prognostic value of ctDNA monitoring in breast cancer patients undergoing neoadjuvant therapy and was presented as a poster (Abstract No. P3-05-22). The study highlights how personalized ctDNA testing can dynamically monitor minimal residual disease (MRD), predict treatment efficacy and recurrence risk, and provide valuable insights for clinical decision-making. Oncology Frontier interviewed Professor Liu onsite for an in-depth discussion.

Among breast cancer subtypes, triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) has long been a clinical challenge due to its high malignancy and poor prognosis. Traditional therapies for advanced TNBC often yield suboptimal results, but the rise of immunotherapy has brought new hope to patients.

On December 6, CAHON brought together a distinguished group of hematology and oncology experts at The University Club Atop Symphony Tower in San Diego, CA. The symposium was a celebration of collaboration, innovation, and mentorship.

The 47th San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium (SABCS), held from December 10–13, 2024, in San Antonio, USA, showcased the latest research, clinical practices, and technological innovations in breast cancer. In this special installment of the “Highlights Series,” hosted by Prof. Yongmei Yin of Jiangsu Provincial People’s Hospital, Prof. Qiang Liu from the Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital joins us live from SABCS to present significant immunotherapy findings unveiled on the final day of the conference (December 13). These include updates on the ZEST, CamRelief, NSABP B-59/GBG-96-GeparDouze, A-BRAVE, and BreastImmune-03 studies for triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), as well as insights into HER2-positive breast cancer from the NRG-BR004 and neoHIP trials.

To advance the standard of care for gastrointestinal cancers in China and share the latest developments and insights, the "2024 CSCO Workshop on Standardized Diagnosis and Treatment of Gastrointestinal Cancers," co-hosted by the Chinese Society of Clinical Oncology (CSCO), the Beijing Xisike Clinical Oncology Research Foundation, and the Hangzhou Oriental Clinical Oncology Research Center, took place in Shanghai from August 17–18, 2024.

With the global aging population, treatment strategies for breast cancer patients over 70 years old have garnered increasing attention. At the 2024 SABCS conference, a patient-level meta-analysis conducted by the Early Breast Cancer Trialists' Collaborative Group (EBCTCG) addressed the impact of immediate versus delayed surgery on outcomes in operable breast cancer patients aged 70+ (Abstract No.: LB1-01). The study highlighted that, for operable breast cancer patients over 70 who did not receive radiotherapy, immediate surgery significantly reduced local recurrence rates and positively influenced long-term survival. This research not only provides robust evidence for treatment decision-making in elderly breast cancer patients but also prompts a reevaluation of therapeutic strategies for this population. Oncology Frontier invited Dr. Baoliang Guo from The Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University to provide insightful commentary on this study.

Advances in medical oncology for breast cancer are reshaping the approach to drug dosing and regimen design. Traditional chemotherapy development relied heavily on identifying the maximum tolerated dose (MTD)—the highest dose patients could endure without severe side effects. However, the focus in modern drug development, particularly for molecular targeted therapies, is shifting toward individualized dose optimization strategies. On December 10 (Tuesday) from 2:00 to 3:45 PM (CST), experts at the 2024 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium delved into these strategies during the "Clinical Symposium on Dose Optimization in Breast Oncology."

From December 6–8, 2024, the ESMO Asia Annual Meeting was held in Singapore, presenting groundbreaking research in oncology. Among the key highlights was the DESTINY-Gastric06 (DG06) study, which sparked extensive discussion. Oncology Frontier invited Prof. Zhi Peng, a leading researcher and specialist from Peking University Cancer Hospital, to share the latest findings from the DG06 study and insights into the role and future potential of antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) in cancer treatment.

The 47th San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium (SABCS), held from December 10–13, 2024, in San Antonio, USA, showcased the latest breakthroughs in breast cancer research, clinical practices, and technological innovations. This edition of "SABCS Broadcast" is hosted by Prof. Yongmei Yin from Jiangsu Provincial People’s Hospital, with live reporting by Prof. Junjie Li from Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center. The discussion highlights the joint analysis of NRG Oncology/RTOG 9804 and ECOG-ACRIN E5194 on tamoxifen (TAM) use in low-risk ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), findings from the INSEMA trial on avoiding sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLND) in breast-conserving surgery patients, and the application of artificial intelligence (AI) in breast cancer risk screening.