Revolutionary Cancer Treatments Emerge from ASCO 2025
Published: October 26, 2024
The american society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) annual meeting in Chicago showcased groundbreaking advancements poised to redefine cancer care, emphasizing immunotherapy and personalized medicine.
A Global Gathering of Oncology Experts
The annual Congress of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) in Chicago, drew over 40,000 professionals from more than 150 countries. The event highlighted biomedical innovation’s transformative impact on cancer management. Dr.Rigo Sánchez Bayona, a medical oncologist from university Hospital 12 October and scientific secretary of the Spanish Society of Medical Oncology (SEOM), summarized key advances with the potential to reshape clinical practice.
Digestive Oncology: Immunotherapy’s Expanding Role
Meaningful progress was reported in treating digestive cancers, notably colon and gastric cancers.
Did you know? Mismatch repair-deficient colon cancers are often more responsive to immunotherapy than other types of colon cancer. This is because they have a higher number of mutations, making them more visible to the immune system.
Colon Cancer: A New Adjuvant Standard
The ATOMIC study, presented in a plenary session, demonstrated a significant breakthrough in treating stage III colon cancer with mismatch repair protein deficiency. The study, involving over 700 patients, compared standard adjuvant chemotherapy (FOLFOX) with its combination with immunotherapy.
- Key Finding: The three-year disease-free survival rate was 86% in the immunotherapy combination group, compared to 76% in the chemotherapy-only group.
- Impact: This represents a 50% reduction in the risk of relapse or death,establishing a new benchmark in adjuvant treatment for this patient subgroup.
Gastric Cancer: Enhancing Perioperative Outcomes
The MATTERHORN study assessed the effectiveness of adding immunotherapy to the FLOT perioperative regimen in patients with gastric cancer and cancer of the esophagogastric junction. the study included over 900 patients.
The results showed an betterment in the complete response rate and a two-year event-free survival of 59%
Dr. Rigo Sánchez Bayona,Medical Oncologist
This reinforces the role of immunotherapy in the early stages of the disease.
Head and Neck Tumors: A Paradigm Shift in Adjuvant therapy
The NivoPostOp trial investigated the impact of adding nivolumab to adjuvant chemoradiation after surgery in high-risk patients with head and neck cancers (positive margins or nodal involvement). The study involved 680 patients.
- Key Finding: The three-year disease-free survival rate was 63% in the nivolumab group, compared to 52% in the chemoradiation-only group.
- Impact: This represents a 24% reduction in the risk of relapse or death.
These results, combined with data from a recent neoadjuvant study, suggest an imminent change of the treatment standard in this anatomical location.
Breast Cancer: Personalized Approaches and Novel Therapies
Two studies highlighted advancements in metastatic breast cancer, focusing on personalized medicine and novel antibody-drug conjugates.
Pro Tip: Liquid biopsies are becoming increasingly vital in cancer management. they allow doctors to monitor the disease in real-time and adjust treatment accordingly, without the need for invasive procedures.
Hormone Receptor-Positive Breast Cancer: Guiding Treatment with Liquid Biopsies
The SERENA-6 trial introduced the use of liquid biopsy (ctDNA) to detect estrogen receptor (ESR1) mutations and anticipate tumor progression in hormone receptor-positive breast cancer. Of over 3,000 patients screened, only 10% presented this mutation and were randomized to standard treatment versus early switch to camizestrant, a new generation endocrine agent.
- Key Finding: Progression-free survival improved from 9 to 16 months in patients who switched early to camizestrant.
- Impact: This demonstrates the potential of precision medicine based on circulating biomarkers.
HER2-Positive Breast Cancer: A New Standard of Care?
The DESTINY-Breast09 study compared the past Cleopatra regimen with trastuzumab deruxtecan plus pertuzumab in HER2-positive breast cancer. the results were compelling.
- Key Finding: Patients receiving trastuzumab deruxtecan plus pertuzumab had a progression-free survival of 40 months, compared to 27 months with the Cleopatra regimen.
Though, this benefit came with increased toxicity (nausea, alopecia, pneumonitis).
We will have to discuss the balance between efficacy and quality of life in real clinical practice.
Dr. Sánchez Bayona,medical Oncologist
Lung Cancer: A Spanish-Led breakthrough in Small cell Lung Cancer
The INFORM trial,led by dr. Luis Paz-ares, compared maintenance immunotherapy versus its combination with lurbinectedin after initial chemotherapy in small cell lung cancer. The study involved over 480 patients.
- Key Finding: The addition of lurbinectedin improved both progression-free survival and overall survival.
- Impact: This represents the first significant advance in this therapeutic line, offering new hope for patients with this aggressive cancer.
Conclusion: A New Era in Cancer Care
ASCO 2025 underscored the profound impact of immunotherapy and personalized medicine across various cancer types, including digestive, head and neck, breast, and lung cancers. The congress also reinforced the trend toward using minimally invasive biomarkers and tools like liquid biopsies to anticipate disease evolution and optimize therapeutic interventions.
What has been seen this year will change our way of treating patients. We are closer to chronifying fatal diseases, and we do it with more directed and effective treatments.
dr. Sánchez Bayona, Medical Oncologist
