IOncology

The 2024 European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) Annual Meeting was held from September 13 to 17 in Barcelona, Spain, where several significant advances in lung cancer research were presented. Dr. Antonio Passaro from the European Institute of Oncology Division of Thoracic Oncology in Milan, Italy, shared insights on the safety and antitumor activity of Zipalertinib in previously treated NSCLC patients with EGFR exon 20 insertion mutations. Oncology Frontier had the opportunity to interview Professor Passaro on-site, where he discussed the latest advances in EGFR-targeted therapies.

The field of cancer treatment has made substantial progress, entering an era of multi-faceted, comprehensive approaches. With the government’s focus on major diseases, traditional cancer treatments like surgery, interventional therapy, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy have evolved into multidisciplinary approaches. Yttrium-90 (Y-90) selective internal radiation therapy (SIRT) is now emerging as a key treatment option for liver cancer. On October 12, the Radiotherapy and Immuno-Oncology Symposium successfully took place. Oncology Frontier invited Prof. Lin Zhang, the first certified Y-90 supervisor in mainland China and an expert from Beijing Tsinghua Changgung Hospital, to discuss the clinical applications and precision surgical principles guiding Y-90 therapy.

The PERLA trial results demonstrated that Dostarlimab plus chemotherapy achieved better overall survival (OS) compared to pembrolizumab plus chemotherapy in advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), with a median OS of 20.2 months vs. 15.9 months.

The treatment of resectable non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) continues to evolve, with debates focusing on whether patients should receive adjuvant immunotherapy following successful neoadjuvant immunotherapy and surgery. This topic was a highlight of discussions at the 2024 World Conference on Lung Cancer (WCLC) hosted by the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC). Dr. Mark G. Kris from Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center shared his insights on this matter.

Editorial Note: Quality control has become an increasingly critical focus in breast cancer diagnosis and treatment. As China enhances its cancer prevention and control framework, the standardization of breast cancer care is receiving growing attention. At the 2024 Conference on Standardized Diagnosis and Quality Control in Breast Cancer, Dr. Jin Yang from The First Affiliated Hospital Xi'an Jiao Tong University presented a comprehensive report titled Quality Control in Breast Cancer Care and National Performance Indicators. In an exclusive interview with Oncology Frontier, Professor Yang provided in-depth insights into the content, significance, and implementation challenges of these quality control measures, illuminating the path forward for breast cancer diagnosis and treatment in China.

Breast cancer poses a significant global challenge to women’s health. In China, unprecedented efforts are being made to advance standardized diagnosis and quality control in breast cancer care. During the 2024 Conference on Standardized Diagnosis and Quality Control in Breast Cancer, Oncology Frontier interviewed the conference chair, Dr. Fei Ma from the Cancer Hospital Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences . Professor Ma shed light on the core values and profound significance of quality control in breast cancer care, offering a clear direction for future advancements. In the interview, he shared the latest achievements, ongoing challenges, and the pivotal role of quality control in bridging gaps between urban and rural areas and promoting equitable access to high-quality medical resources. He emphasized that comprehensive quality control and the standardization of breast cancer care are critical steps toward achieving the Healthy China 2030 goals.

From November 15 to 17, 2024, the Chinese Congress on Holistic Integrative Oncology (CCHIO)(CCHIO) was held in Xi’an under the theme "Winning in Integration: Tumor Prevention and Treatment." In the breast cancer domain, the conference integrated the latest global advancements in diagnosis, treatment, and research. At the event, Oncology Frontier interviewed Dr. Jin Zhang, Chair of The Chinese Anti-Cancer Association, Committee of Breast Cancer Society (CACA-CBCS) and a renowned expert from Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital. Professor Zhang shared her insights into the development of breast oncology in China, focusing on HR-positive breast cancer, and discussed the current landscape and future of precision diagnosis and treatment in this area.

With advancements in breast cancer diagnosis and treatment, alongside the increasing diversity of patient needs, a comprehensive evaluation of treatment outcomes and improved quality of life have become focal points in this field. In recent years, Patient-Reported Outcomes (PROs) have emerged as a novel evaluation tool, playing an increasingly important role in breast cancer care. PROs go beyond traditional objective assessments like imaging and lab tests by emphasizing patients' subjective experiences, offering a new lens for both clinicians and patients to evaluate treatment effectiveness and quality of life. At the 2024 Breast Cancer Standardized Diagnosis and Quality Control Conference, Oncology Frontier interviewed Dr. Quchang Ouyang from Hunan Cancer Hospital to discuss the current applications, future trends, and significance of PROs in enhancing breast cancer diagnosis and treatment.

At the recent The 9th Congress of the Chinese Chapter of the International Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Association (CCIHPBA), Prof. Chaoliu Dai from Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University presented on “Controlling Intraoperative Hemorrhage and Protecting Residual Liver Function in Hepatectomy.” Oncology frontier invited Prof. Dai to delve further into this topic and share insights from his presentation.

The clinical use of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) offers a promising approach for locally advanced gastric and gastroesophageal junction (GEJ) cancers, potentially improving cure rates. Recent clinical trials have demonstrated that ICIs combined with chemotherapy, chemoradiotherapy, anti-HER2, or anti-VEGF agents exhibit synergistic and complementary effects. Compared to chemotherapy alone, these combinations show improved pathologic complete response (pCR) rates, major response rates, ypT0N0 rates, and potentially improve patient outcomes. At the recent 2024 CACA Integrated Gastric Cancer Conference, Prof. Changqing Jing from Shandong Provincial Hospital summarized perioperative ICI trials in gastric cancer, discussing the status of ICIs in neoadjuvant and adjuvant settings and exploring the feasibility of future perioperative immunotherapy combinations.