Translating research into real-world results for cancer patients
I joined over 45,000 oncology professionals at McCormick Place in Chicago for the highly anticipated American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting. As someone who’s dedicated my entire career to cancer research, ASCO is the event I look forward to more than any other each year.
The energy at ASCO was electric, fueled by this year’s theme: Driving Knowledge to Action: Building a Better Future. With more than 200 sessions and over 6,000 research abstracts—including plenaries, oral presentations, symposia, and 2,700+ posters—the conference was a powerful showcase of how science and collaboration are shaping the future of cancer care.
Practice-changing progress across cancer research
What I find most rewarding in oncology clinical development is seeing our research efforts translate into practice-changing outcomes for patients. Almost every year, ASCO is the forum where clinical trial results are released that are so significant, they immediately shift standard treatment practices for oncologists and patients alike. ASCO 2025 delivered on that promise, with several significant breakthroughs announced across a wide range of cancer types.
AstraZeneca Phase III SERENA-6 trial of camizestrant for breast cancer
Breakthrough: AstraZeneca (AZ) announced that its selective estrogen receptor degrader, camizestrant, showed a 56% reduction in risk of progression or death in HR-positive advanced breast cancer. Median progression-free survival was 16 months vs. 9.2 months in the control group.
Impact: This was the first trial to demonstrate that switching therapy based on ctDNA-detected ESR1 mutations —before radiographic progression—can significantly improve outcomes. AZ is now shifting its development strategy to focus on earlier lines of therapy and is accelerating plans to file for regulatory approval. (Source: AstraZeneca)
AstraZeneca’s Phase III MATTERHORN trial for gastric and gastroesophageal junction cancer
Breakthrough: AZ reported that its Phase III MATTERHORN trial showed that adding durvalumab (a PD-L1 inhibitor) to standard chemotherapy significantly improved event-free survival in patients with resectable stage 2–4a gastric or gastroesophageal junction cancer (GC/GEJC). The study demonstrated a 29% reduction in the risk of disease progression or recurrence. (Source: AstraZeneca)
Impact: This was the first global trial to demonstrate a meaningful benefit of immunotherapy in the perioperative setting for this cancer type, potentially establishing a new global standard of care and continuing AZ’s strategy to “move immunotherapy into early stages of cancer where cure is the treatment goal.” (Source: AstraZeneca)
MD Anderson Cancer Center Phase II NEO-ATC trial for thyroid cancer
Breakthrough: MD Anderson Cancer Center presented results from the NEO-ATC trial, a Phase II study evaluating neoadjuvant treatment for BRAF V600E-mutated anaplastic thyroid cancer (ATC). Testing a combination of dabrafenib, trametinib, and pembrolizumab (DTP), the regimen enabled surgical resection in 74% of patients and extended overall survival from 13 to 21 months.
Impact: This was the first study to demonstrate that adding immunotherapy to targeted therapy before surgery significantly improves outcomes in this aggressive cancer, with a two-year survival rate of 69%—positioning neoadjuvant DTP as a potential new standard of care. (Source: The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center)
National Cancer Institute Phase III ATOMIC trial in colorectal cancer
Breakthrough: The National Cancer Institute (NCI) reported results from its Phase III ATOMIC trial. The study revealed that adding the immunotherapy drug atezolizumab to standard chemotherapy significantly improved three-year disease-free survival in patients with stage III deficient mismatch repair (dMMR) colon cancer—86.4% versus 76.6% with chemotherapy alone, cutting the risk of recurrence or death by 50%.
Impact: The breakthrough marks a major step forward in personalized cancer care and offers a promising new treatment pathway for approximately 15% of colon cancer patients with dMMR tumors. With strong efficacy and a manageable safety profile, this combination therapy may soon become the new standard for treating early-stage dMMR colon cancer. (Source: Journal of Clinical Oncology)
Other key takeaways from ASCO
Beyond the excitement around practice-changing data, artificial intelligence (AI)-driven trials, bispecifics, cell and gene therapies, and antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) were also front and center at ASCO—underscoring the conference’s strong emphasis on innovation.
- AI was spotlighted for its growing role in optimizing clinical trial design and execution. Tools leveraging machine learning were shown to improve patient stratification, predict treatment responses, and streamline protocol development. Notably, an AI-based computational pathology platform was shown to be predictive of clinical outcomes in NSCLC, potentially creating a new digital biomarker that could guide treatment decisions for targeted therapies like datopotamab deruxtecan.
- Bispecific antibodies continued to show momentum, with unprecedented survival data from two epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-targeted therapies in head and neck cancer ─ Petosemtamab (MCLA-158) and DM005. These may have been the busiest posters I saw all weekend.
- Momentum around cell and gene therapies in oncology has slowed in recent years, so it was refreshing to see new data highlighting progress in both hematologic malignancies and solid tumors. Presentations emphasized improved durability of response, expanded indications, and strategies to overcome resistance. While costly and complex to administer, these therapies are truly novel and have the potential to be curative in certain indications.
- ADCs were a major focus, with multiple sessions exploring their growing role in targeting difficult-to-treat cancers. Promising data was featured on ADCs in breast, lung, and gastrointestinal cancers, often in combination with immunotherapies. These therapies are redefining precision oncology by delivering potent chemotherapy directly to tumor cells while sparing healthy tissue.
There was an air of cautious optimism at ASCO. Conference attendees were energized by the scientific progress being made, even amid concerns over funding, regulatory uncertainty, and shifting global healthcare priorities. While people I spoke with voiced concerns about sustaining momentum, the prevailing mood was hopeful—driven by the belief that these breakthroughs could reshape the future of cancer care.
What stood out most to me was the undeniable commitment to translate cutting-edge science into meaningful, real-world results for patients. From practice-changing trial data to the transformative potential of AI and next-generation treatment modalities, ASCO 2025 reminded us that we’re not just advancing oncology—we’re redefining what’s possible.
