Hosted by Professor Craig Underhill, Dr Kate Clarke & Professor Christopher Jackson | Proudly produced by The Oncology Network
Are you ready for some ESMO Bingo? Yes—it’s that time of year again!
Join our expert hosts Professor Craig Underhill, Dr. Kate Clarke and Professor Christopher Jackson for the usual OJC antics.
This is Part 1 of our ESMO Special, where the team cover ovarian, breast, melanoma and GI. Expect the usual nuanced analysis and a few naughty jokes along the way.
About The Oncology Journal Club:
We have taken an old concept and updated it with a new format. In each episode, a team of expert contributors will review topical journal papers and interview special guests who are leaders in their fields to help keep you informed of the latest developments on the go.
We hope you enjoy listening and find this a valuable and entertaining resource.
BINGO CARD: Download here
ABSTRACTS:
Kate:
Colombo N, et al. Pembrolizumab vs placebo plus weekly paclitaxel ± bevacizumab in platinum-resistant recurrent ovarian cancer: results from the randomized double-blind phase 3 ENGOT-ov65/KEYNOTE-B96 study. ESMO Congress 2025. LBA3. Access online here.
Johnston, S. R., et al. LBA13 – monarchE: Primary overall survival (OS) results of adjuvant abemaciclib + endocrine therapy (ET) for HR+, HER2-, high-risk early breast cancer (EBC). ESMO Congress 2025. LBA13 – Access online here.
Crown, J.P., et al. LBA14 – Adjuvant ribociclib (RIB) plus nonsteroidal aromatase inhibitor (NSAI) in patients (pts) with HR+/HER2− early breast cancer (EBC): NATALEE 5-year outcomes. ESMO Congress 2025. LBA14 – Access online here.
Geyer C, et al. Trastuzumab deruxtecan (T-DXd) vs trastuzumab emtansine (T-DM1) in patients (pts) with high-risk human epidermal growth factor receptor 2–positive (HER2+) primary breast cancer (BC) with residual invasive disease after neoadjuvant therapy (tx): Interim analysis of DESTINY-Breast05. ESMO Congress 2025. LBA1
Harbeck, N. et al. DESTINY-Breast11: Neoadjuvant trastuzumab deruxtecan alone (T-DXd) or followed by paclitaxel + trastuzumab + pertuzumab (T-DXd-THP) vs SOC for high-risk HER2+ early breast cancer (eBC). ESMO Congress 2025. Abstract 291O – Access online here.
Cortés, J.C., et al. LBA20 – Primary results from ASCENT-03: A randomized phase III study of sacituzumab govitecan (SG) vs chemotherapy (chemo) in patients (pts) with previously untreated advanced triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) who are unable to receive PD-(L)1 inhibitors (PD-[L]1i). ESMO Congress 2025. LBA20 – Access online here.
Dent, R., et al. LBA21 – First-line (1L) datopotamab deruxtecan (Dato-DXd) vs chemotherapy in patients with locally recurrent inoperable or metastatic triple-negative breast cancer (mTNBC) for whom immunotherapy was not an option: Primary results from the randomised, phase III TROPION-Breast02 trial. ESMO Congress 2025. LBA21 – Access online here.
Peccatori, F. A., et al. LBA12 – 5-year follow-up results from the POSITIVE (Pregnancy Outcome and Safety of Interrupting Therapy for Women with Endocrine Responsive Breast Cancer) trial. ESMO Congress 2025. LBA12 – Access online here.
Discussion:
Loi, S., et al. 3208O – Parity and breastfeeding enhance breast resident CD8+ T cell immunity and protect against breast cancer. ESMO Congress 2025. 3208O – Access online here.
CJ:
Ascierto, P. A., et al. 1609MO – Final, 9-year results from the CheckMate 238 phase III trial of adjuvant nivolumab vs ipilimumab in resected stage IIIB–C or IV melanoma. ESMO Congress 2025. 1609MO – Access online here.
Tabernero, J., et al. LBA81 – Final overall survival (OS) and the association of pathological outcomes with event-free survival (EFS) in MATTERHORN: A randomised, phase III study of durvalumab (D) plus 5-fluorouracil, leucovorin, oxaliplatin and docetaxel (FLOT) in resectable gastric / gastroesophageal junction (G / GEJ) adenocarcinoma. ESMO Congress 2025. LBA81 – Access online here.
Tie, J., et al. LBA9 – ctDNA-guided adjuvant chemotherapy de-escalation in stage III colon cancer: Primary analysis of the ctDNA-negative cohort from the randomized AGITG DYNAMIC-III trial (Intergroup study of AGITG and CCTG). ESMO Congress 2025. LBA9 – Access online here.
Powles , T. B., et al. LBA8 – IMvigor011: A phase III trial of circulating tumour (ct)DNA-guided adjuvant atezolizumab vs placebo in muscle-invasive bladder cancer. ESMO Congress 2025. LBA8 – Access online here.
TEAM:
Craig Underhill
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 find Craig on X/Twitter here: @CraigUnderhill
Kate Clarke
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.
Chris ‘CJ’ Jackson
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).
Connect with CJ on X/Twitter: @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
