ASCO Special Part 2: Quick Bite Marathon!
The Oncology Journal Club team returns with Part 2 of its ASCO 2026 coverage, delivering a whirlwind tour through some of the most interesting studies presented across gastrointestinal, breast, lung, genitourinary, gynaecological, skin and haematological cancers.
Craig Underhill, Kate Clarke and Christopher Jackson discuss emerging data on ctDNA-guided treatment strategies, exercise as adjuvant therapy, genomic testing in breast cancer, novel antibody-drug conjugates, immunotherapy advances, de-escalation studies and potential new standards of care. They also explore the growing role of precision medicine, evolving treatment sequencing strategies and the challenges facing the global oncology workforce.
Along the way, expect the usual OJC banter, ASCO bingo, questionable drug pronunciations and a recurring tribute to Qantas pyjamas!
ABSTRACTS
CJ:
LBA 3501: First Author: Hiroyuki Yamamoto. Informing optimal duration of adjuvant chemotherapy (ACT) in resected stage I-IV colorectal cancer (CRC) based on early circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) dynamics. ASCO 2026 Annual Meeting. J Clin Oncol 44, 2026 (suppl 16; abstr 3501). Access online here.
LBA 3502: First Author: Xiaohang Gao. Observation versus maintenance PD-1 inhibitor therapy after clinical complete response in dMMR/MSI-H colorectal cancer managed with non-operative management: A multicentre cohort study. ASCO 2026 Annual Meeting. J Clin Oncol 44, 2026 (suppl 16; abstr 3502). Access online here.
LBA 3503 BREAKWATER Study: First Author: Scott Kopetz. Progression-free and overall survival analyses of first-line (1L) encorafenib + cetuximab (EC) + FOLFIRI in BRAF V600E-mutant metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC). ASCO 2026 Annual Meeting. J Clin Oncol 44, 2026 (suppl 17; abstr LBA3503). Access online here.
LBA 3504: First Author: Van Morris II. SWOG S2107: Randomized phase II trial of encorafenib and cetuximab with or without nivolumab for patients with previously treated MSS, BRAFV600E metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC). ASCO 2026 Annual Meeting. J Clin Oncol 44, 2026 (suppl 16; abstr 3504). Access online here.
LBA 3505: First Author: Jin Li. Phase 3 trial of trastuzumab rezetecan vs standard of care (SOC) for chemotherapy-refractory, HER2-positive, advanced colorectal cancer (CRC). ASCO 2026 Annual Meeting. J Clin Oncol 44, 2026 (suppl 16; abstr 3505). Access online here.
LBA 3507: First Author: Kelvin Chan. Structured exercise program following adjuvant chemotherapy for colon cancer: A cost-utility analysis of the CHALLENGE trial. ASCO 2026 Annual Meeting. J Clin Oncol 44, 2026 (suppl 16; abstr 3507). Access online here.
Prasad V, Grady C. The misguided ethics of crossover trials. Contemp Clin Trials. 2014 Mar;37(2):167-9. doi: 10.1016/j.cct.2013.12.003. Epub 2013 Dec 21. PMID: 24365533; PMCID: PMC3981898. Access online here.
Poster Session: First Author: David Liu. Presenter: Margaret Lee. Diagnostic and predictive utility of peritoneal tumor DNA in gastroesophageal cancer: A prospective multicenter study. ASCO 2026 Annual Meeting. J Clin Oncol 44, 2026 (suppl 16; abstr 4101). Access online here.
First Author: Khawaja Aziz. Efficacy and safety of transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) plus sorafenib vs TACE alone in the treatment of non-resectable hepatocellular carcinoma: A systematic review and meta-analysis. ASCO 2026 Annual Meeting. J Clin Oncol 44, 2026 (suppl 16; abstr e16213). Access online here.
A Workforce Crisis – A Lancet Oncology Commissions Session. Access online here.
Kate:
OPTIMA Study: First Author: Robert Stein. First results from the OPTIMA phase III randomized non-inferiority trial of test-directed chemotherapy in patients with high clinical risk ER-positive HER2-negative early breast cancer. ASCO 2026 Annual Meeting. J Clin Oncol 44, 2026 (suppl 16; abstr 500). Access online here.
First Author: Elizabeth McDonald. Association of GLP-1 agonists with breast cancer incidence in women. ASCO 2026 Annual Meeting. J Clin Oncol 44, 2026 (suppl 16; abstr 10506). Access online here.
SAKK 96/12 REDUSE Study: First Author: Roger Von Moos. Prevalence of symptomatic skeletal events (SSE) with reduced denosumab (Dmab) dose density (every 12 weeks versus every 4 weeks): A randomized phase III non-inferiority trial SAKK 96/12 REDUSE. ASCO 2026 Annual Meeting. J Clin Oncol 44, 2026 (suppl 16; abstr 1004). Access online here.
First Author: Tara Arouchian. A phase II trial of binimetinib in combination with encorafenib in patients with pancreatic malignancies and a somatic BRAFV600E mutation. ASCO 2026 Annual Meeting. J Clin Oncol 44, 2026 (suppl 16; abstr 4219). Access online here.
CRDF-004 Study: First Author: Heinz-Josef Lenz. Onvansertib plus standard-of-care chemotherapy plus bevacizumab in first-line RAS-mutated metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC): Interim results from the phase 2 randomized CRDF-004 trial. ASCO 2026 Annual Meeting. J Clin Oncol 44, 2026 (suppl 16; abstr 3510). Access online here.
Craig:
WU-KONG28 Study: First Author: John Heymach. Sunvozertinib monotherapy versus platinum-based chemotherapy as first-line treatment for advanced NSCLC with EGFR exon20ins: Primary analysis of a multinational phase 3 randomized study (WU-KONG28). ASCO 2026 Annual Meeting. J Clin Oncol 44, 2026 (suppl 17; abstr LBA8500). Access online here.
OptiTROP-Lung05 study: First Author: Caicun Zhou. Sacituzumab tirumotecan (sac-TMT) plus pembrolizumab (P) versus pembrolizumab (P) as first-line treatment for PD-L1–positive advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC): Results from the randomized phase 3 OptiTROP-Lung05 study. ASCO 2026 Annual Meeting. J Clin Oncol 44, 2026 (suppl 16; abstr 8506). Access online here.
First Author: Thomas Powles. Enfortumab vedotin plus pembrolizumab (EV+P) vs chemotherapy for previously untreated locally advanced or metastatic urothelial carcinoma (la/mUC): 3.5-year follow-up and response analyses from the phase 3 EV-302 study. ASCO 2026 Annual Meeting. J Clin Oncol 44, 2026 (suppl 16; abstr 4507). Access online here.
DISCUS Study: First Author: Syed Hussain. Comparison of cisplatin/gemcitabine or carboplatin/gemcitabine on efficacy, toxicity, and quality of life from the randomized DISCUS trial. ASCO 2026 Annual Meeting. J Clin Oncol 44, 2026 (suppl 16; abstr 4583). Access online here.
ARACOG Study: First Author: Alicia Morgans. Cognitive effects of darolutamide vs enzalutamide: Results of ARACOG (AFT-47), a randomized clinical trial from the Alliance for Clinical Trials in Oncology. ASCO 2026 Annual Meeting. J Clin Oncol 44, 2026 (suppl 16; abstr 5005).. Access online here.
BLUESTAR Study: First Author: Linda Mileshkin. Updated safety and efficacy of puxitatug samrotecan (Puxi-Sam, AZD8205) in patients (pts) with endometrial cancer (EC) or ovarian cancer (OC): Phase 1/2a BLUESTAR study. ASCO 2026 Annual Meeting. J Clin Oncol 44, 2026 (suppl 16; abstr 5515). Access online here.
frontMIND Study: First Author: Georg Lenz. frontMIND: Phase 3 study of tafasitamab (Tafa) plus lenalidomide (Len) and R-CHOP for patients (pts) with newly diagnosed diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). ASCO 2026 Annual Meeting. J Clin Oncol 44, 2026 (suppl 17; abstr LBA7000). Access online here.
First Author: Jamie Chaft. Randomized phase III study of nivolumab after surgery and adjuvant chemotherapy in NSCLC (ECOG-ACRIN EA5142, ALCHEMIST). ASCO 2026 Annual Meeting. J Clin Oncol 44, 2026 (suppl 16; abstr 8000). Access online here.
RAMPART Study: First Author: James Larkin. Durvalumab monotherapy versus active monitoring for resected primary renal cell carcinoma in RAMPART: An international, phase 3, randomized controlled trial. ASCO 2026 Annual Meeting. J Clin Oncol 44, 2026 (suppl 17; abstr LBA4511). Access online here.
PLUDO Study: First Author: Kim Chi. Canadian Cancer Trials Group (CCTG) study PR21 (PLUDO): Results of crossover treatment from a randomized trial of 177Lu-PSMA-617 (LuP) vs docetaxel (DOC) in patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC). ASCO 2026 Annual Meeting. J Clin Oncol 44, 2026 (suppl 16; abstr 5019). Access online here.
KEYNOTE 564 Study: First Author: Toni Choueiri. ctDNA analysis in participants with renal cell carcinoma treated with adjuvant pembrolizumab or placebo in the KEYNOTE-564 trial. ASCO 2026 Annual Meeting. J Clin Oncol 44, 2026 (suppl 16; abstr 4502).Access online here.
DOWNLOADS
HOSTS
Professor Craig Underhill
Professor Craig Underhill completed his Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery in 1987 at Melbourne University. He completed medical oncology training in Melbourne and worked as the Senior Clinical Research Registrar at Guy’s Hospital, London.
In 1998 arrived in Albury-Wodonga and established a medical oncology practice and clinical trials unit which has developed expertise and infrastructure to ensure the initiation of high quality trials. The research Unit lead by Dr Underhill has twice been awarded NSW Premier’s Award for Innovation in Cancer Clinical Trials, the inaugural award in 2009 and then again in 2012.
Dr Underhill is the VCCC Regional Oncology Lead and advocates for the increased access to clinical trials for regional Victorians and leads the VCCC teletrials program.
You can connect with Craig on Bluesky here: @craigunderhill.bsky.social and find Craig on X/Twitter here: @CraigUnderhill
Dr. Kate Clarke
Dr Kate Clarke (MBChB (Otago), FRACP) is a proud New Zealander with a real love for beautiful Aotearoa. Dr Clarke continues to work at being Tangata Tiriti. Much of her research and patient advocacy has an equity focus. Dr Clarke is grateful to her patients, students, whanau and colleagues for the knowledge and awhi they share. Ehara taku toa, he takitahi, he toa takitini.
Dr Clarke completed her medical training in Otago, Wellington and London. She has a holistic approach and is passionate about patient-centred care, and believes patients can and should play an active role in their healthcare. Her clinical experience covers a broad range of solid tumour malignancies with special clinical interest in colorectal cancer, upper gastrointestinal cancers and breast cancer.
Professor Christopher Jackson
Chris Jackson is Professor of Medical Oncology at the University of Otago, Dunedin, and a medical oncologist at Dunedin Hospital and Mercy Cancer Care. He specialises in GI cancers and melanoma, teaches medical students and specialists-in-training, and is heavily involved in both national and international cancer policy, leadership and research.
He was previously the medical director of the Cancer Society of NZ, and his advocacy led to the funding of new cancer drugs, to the development of a new national cancer plan, and to the birth of the national cancer agency Te Aho o Te Kahu. He currently chairs the agency’s clinical committee and serves on the advisory board. In addition, he is on the programme board of the International Cancer Benchmarking Project, and is a founding member of the Common Sense Oncology movement.
Chris is a self-confessed Radiohead tragic and recent convert to Crossfit (even though you didn’t ask).
You can connect with CJ on X/Twitter here: @drkiwicj
PRODUCER
Rachael Babin
Rachael Babin is Host of The Oncology Podcast, Editor-in-Chief of The Oncology Newsletter, and Publisher of Oncology News Australia and The Oncology Network.
With a background in oncology communications and academic publishing, Rachael is happiest sitting behind the mic chatting to interesting people about the impact their work makes in oncology.
Connect on Twitter: @OncologyNewsAus
OTHER EPISODES
