IOncology

At the 2024 SIBCS conference, Dr. Li Ma from The Fourth Hospital of Hebei Medical University presented on the topic “Advances and Controversies in Breast Surgery and Pathology.” He addressed various hot topics, including: “Can axillary dissection be completely avoided in patients with 1–2 positive sentinel lymph nodes? Can axillary dissection be omitted after downstaging lymph nodes with neoadjuvant therapy? Does bilateral mastectomy lower the risk of contralateral cancer but not improve mortality rates? Is screening necessary for HER2-ultra-low expression? What factors influence the accurate diagnosis of HER2-negative and HER2-ultra-low expression?” Following the presentation, Oncology Frontier interviewed Dr. Ma to discuss these advancements and controversies and invited him to share his insights on potential updates in the breast surgery and pathology sections of the 2025 “Little Red Book.”

n recent years, breast cancer treatment in China has undergone a remarkable transformation, from drug accessibility to treatment paradigms, aligning more closely with global standards. At the 2024 SIBCS conference, Dr. Qiang Liu from Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, delivered an insightful presentation on “Major Clinical Trial Achievements in China’s Breast Cancer Treatment,” highlighting significant advancements in the field. Following the conference, Oncology Frontier interviewed Dr. Liu, who noted the increasing prominence of China’s original clinical research on the global stage. He pointed out that China is no longer simply following international developments but is now keeping pace, and in some areas, even leading, providing new hope for breast cancer patients worldwide.

Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have brought new hope to the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, their effectiveness is limited to only a subset of patients. Current biomarkers, such as tumor mutational burden (TMB) and PD-L1, show limited predictive power. According to Dr. Kenneth O’Byrne’s report(Icon Cancer Centre Greenslope) at the 2024 World Conference on Lung Cancer (WCLC), tests revealing high TMB or PD-L1 positivity only have a positive predictive value of around 40%.

The review results of the 2024 National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) centralized application period projects were recently announced. Dr. Tian Yang from the Third Affiliated Hospital of Naval Medical University was awarded the National Distinguished Youth Science Fund Project.

Since the FDA approval of the first lung cancer immunotherapy regimen in 2015 based on the CheckMate-017 and 057 studies, lung cancer immunotherapy has evolved significantly over the past decade, becoming the first-line standard of care for patients with driver mutation-negative non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, as evidence accumulates and clinical experience grows, some issues continue to stir debate. During the recent "2024 CSCO Lung Cancer Standardized Treatment Workshop," Oncology Frontier interviewed Dr. Meiqi Shi from Jiangsu Cancer Hospital to discuss key topics such as the choice of immunotherapy, treatment for brain metastases, immunotherapy rechallenge, and management of adverse events.

Liver cancer, often referred to as the “silent killer,” is frequently diagnosed at an advanced stage. Current screening methods such as alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) testing and ultrasound lack sufficient sensitivity and specificity. Therefore, there is an urgent need for more efficient, accurate, and cost-effective screening tools. At the 2024 ESMO conference, former President of the Korean Surgical Society and Professor at Inje University Haeundae Paik Hospital, Wang Hee-Jung, presented a novel method based on digital PCR detection of circulating tumor DNA methylation markers, demonstrating promising sensitivity and specificity results. Oncology Frontier invited Dr. Tian Yang from the Third Affiliated Hospital of Naval Medical University to provide insights on this study.

In clinical practice, several criteria are available for evaluating liver transplant candidates, such as the Milan Criteria, UCSF Criteria in the U.S., Ontario Criteria in Canada, and domestic standards like the Fudan Criteria and Hangzhou Criteria in China. Among these, the Milan Criteria are the most widely adopted. However, differences in survival outcomes based on these criteria suggest the need for refinement. At the recently held 2024 International Liver Cancer Association (ILCA) Conference, a study utilizing data from the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) compared survival rates between patients evaluated under the Milan Criteria and the Ontario Criteria. Oncology Frontier invited Dr. Zilin Cui from Tianjin First Central Hospital to introduce and review the study.

At the 2024 Chinese Anti-Cancer Association (CACA) Integration of Esophageal Cancer Academic Conference, Oncology Frontier invited Dr. Xiaobing Chen, Secondary Professor/Chief Physician at the Department of Internal Medicine at Henan Cancer Hospital and Chair of the CACA Esophageal Tumor Integrated Rehabilitation Committee, to provide an in-depth analysis of early signs of esophageal cancer, screening methods, and innovative strategies for clinical application of immune checkpoint inhibitors.

Recently, the team led by Dr. Jiuda Zhao at the Breast Disease Diagnosis and Treatment Center of Qinghai University Affiliated Hospital published their latest research findings in the Journal of Clinical Oncology (JCO), with an impact factor of 42.10. This study is the first to combine the current standard triple antiemetic therapy with electroacupuncture (EA) to address chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV) in breast cancer patients. The results demonstrate that adding EA to the standard triple antiemetic regimen significantly enhances CINV treatment outcomes. This study stands as the highest-impact acupuncture-related research publication in the field of oncology in China, showcasing the scientific prowess and innovative capabilities of Chinese scholars on the international stage. Oncology Frontier invited Dr. Jiuda Zhao to discuss this groundbreaking study.