The Annual Meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) is a cornerstone event in oncology, uniting clinicians, researchers, and industry leaders to shape the future of cancer care. On Day 3 of ASCO 2026, the focus shifted to pivotal discussions on cutting-edge treatments, emerging research, and collaborative solutions to advance global oncology. The day highlighted transformative insights that are redefining standards in cancer therapy and patient outcomes.
Below is a selection of key highlights, updates, and perspectives shared by global oncology leaders during the Day 3 of ASCO 2026.
Ana I. Velázquez Mañana
“Highlight of ASCO26 RASolute 302
Daraxonrasib DOUBLES the median overall survival in pre-treated RAS G12 metastatic Pancreatic Cancer.
mOS 13.2 mo vs. 6.6 mo with chemotherapy (HR 0.40).
Published on NEJM, looking forward to the presentation and discussion during today’s ASCO Plenary Session.”
Title: Daraxonrasib or Chemotherapy in Previously Treated Metastatic Pancreatic Cancer
Authors: Eileen M. O’Reilly, Zev A. Wainberg, Andrew E. Hendifar, Mitesh J. Borad, Filippo Pietrantonio, Shubham Pant, Pascal Hammel, Chiara Cremolini, Gulam A. Manji, Paul E. Oberstein, Ignacio Garrido-Laguna, Christoph Springfeld, Nilofer S. Azad, Makoto Ueno, Stephen Y. Chui, Ying Zhang, Hina Patel, Yeonju Lee, Zeena Salman, Brian M. Wolpin.
Sarah Sammons
“ASCO26 early stage breast cancer highlights:
HER2+ Neoadjuvant | Anbenitamab (KN026-004)
Biparatopic HER2 antibody beats TCHP on tpCR: 62.4% vs 51.2% (p=0.0036). Caveat: experimental arm used nab-docetaxel vs conventional docetaxel – can’t isolate the HER2 blockade contribution. China-only trial. Needs independent development and validation in Western populations before this changes practice. EFS/OS awaited.
HR+/HER2- Adjuvant | OPTIMA
Prosigna-guided chemo omission non-inferior in high-risk node+ pts, including N2. Key insight: chemo benefit in low genomic risk premenopausal women is mostly ovarian suppression. Ready to adopt for postmeno. For high-risk premeno – low event rates, short follow-up, no one <40 – need more data before I change practice.
HR+/HER2- Adjuvant | lidERA
Giredestrant’s 30% reduction in recurrence risk holds across pre- and postmenopausal patients. FDA submission underway. First new adjuvant ET in decades.
TNBC Neoadjuvant | KEYNOTE-522 Final
7-yr EFS 78.3% vs 69.8%, OS 85.1% vs 77.2%. Durable. But irAE rate 33.5% in trial, up to 54% real-world, many persistent. No predictive biomarker. Not every high-risk TNBC needs this – biomarker-based selection needed.
Locoregional | SENOMAC
5-yr OS 94.4% vs 93.4% – ALND omission noninferior with better QoL and arm function. SOC for 1-2 macrometastases. Caveat: most pts received locoregional RT. RT omission now being tested in T-REX.”
Nina Niu Sanford
“MIRACLE-2: RT to primary/mets -> chemo + tislelizumab in MSS unresectable met rectal ca (N=50): 68% ORR and median OS 23 mo.
Early, single-arm data, but ~1 in 5 pts reached NED.
Suggests RT + systemic + PD1 blockade could overcome immune resistance in MSS mCRC.”
Rafeh Naqash
“Beyond the science and accolades (which he has many) Neeraj Agarwal is one of the most humble folks who will pay attention to what you have to say and follow through! Well deserved Sumanta K. Pal, Amin Nassar, Jasmine Kamboj and Pramesh CS.”
Neeraj Agarwal
“Congrats Atish Choudhury!
Can we safely de-intensify Rx in exceptional responders with mHSPC/ mAPMS prostate cancer?
ASCO2026 A-DREAM data Rx holiday after ADT + ARPI may be feasible, with 41% remaining treatment-free with testosterone recovery at 18 mos.”
Amol Akhade
“LBA1 ASCO2026
Apalutamide + ADT + RP vs ADT + RP:
- pCR/MRD: 8.9% vs 1.0% (OR 10.17)
- 5-year MFS: 78.2% vs 73.5% • MFS HR 0.80
- Residual cancer burden: 30.6% vs 11.7% 20% reduction in risk of metastasis or death.
Perioperative systemic therapy may become a new option for selected high-risk localized prostate cancer patients.”
Arndt Vogel
“DFS and TTR with ctDNA–based decision for adjuvant treatment in CRC stage II: CIRCULATE
- Low positive rate in st. 2, early closure
- ctDNA highly prognostic
- Formally negative, but meaningful benefit for CTx in pos. patients -> justify clinical implantation.”
Carlo Genova
“Enlightening session on Small Cell Lung Cancer at ASCO 2026 held by Rami Manochakian, Fiona Hegi-Johnson and Noemi Reguart.
Today, small cell lung cancer is really no longer too small to ignore!”
Mark Lewis
“Remarkably similar survivals for observation vs. maintenance PD1 inhibitors after cCR to immunotherapy in MSI-H/dMMR colorectal cancer.
So what are we increasing by continuing IO? (Cost, irAEs, our own therapeutic confidence?!)”
Herbert Loong
“Thanks James Wu, Edward Christopher and others for putting together such an amazing and enthusiastic team!
Always a pleasure to work with you all and to learn and collaborate with all the amazing ideas you have and to help to bring it to reality!”
Stephanie Haddad
“Kicking off Day 3 at ASCO26 with the ASCO TECAG meeting!
Excited to be a part of this incredible group and connect with colleagues/friends, contribute to important discussions, and help shape the year ahead. Looking forward to the opportunities, collaborations, and impact to come.”
Stephanie Graff
“HELEN Trio-011 shows Camelizumab, an anti-PD-1 monoclonal antibody, improves ypCR. Benefit higher in PDL1+, but 9% diff P=0.165 in PDL1- In US, supports SCARLET ongoing design.”
Emanuele Crupi
“Now out on Journal of Clinical Oncology results of SURE-01 trial evaluating Neoadjuvant Sacituzumab Govitecan.
Target: TROP2
Warhead: SN-38 (Topoi)
The best way to start the breakfast before the session of DAY-3 of ASCO26.”
Title: Neoadjuvant Sacituzumab Govitecan in Patients With Muscle-Invasive Bladder Cancer: Primary Results of the SURE-01 Trial
Authors: Andrea Necchi, Joep J. de Jong, Brigida A. Maiorano, James A. Proudfoot, Giuseppe Basile, Antonio Cigliola, Chiara Mercinelli, Valentina Tateo, Michela Piacentini, Emanuele Crupi, Giovanni L. Pastorino, Gaia Latini, Enrico Tomasi, Elai Davicioni, Marco Moschini, Giorgio Brembilla, Maurizio Colecchia, Francesco de Cobelli, Jeffrey S. Ross, Russell Madison, Candice Francheska B. Tambaoan, Alberto Briganti, Francesco Montorsi.
Hye Sung
“The DART study just hit the ASCO 2026 oral abstract stage, presented by Dr. Sandip Patel! Remarkable accrual across rare and ultra-rare solid tumors, with translational biomarker analysis ongoing to guide next steps.
Toxicity is real (22% G3-4 TRAEs), but the science ahead is exciting. Endlessly grateful to my mentor Dr. Young Kwang Chae and the DART team for bringing me into this work and showing me what practice-changing early phase trials look like from the inside.”
Title: A Phase II Basket Trial of Dual Anti-CTLA-4 and Anti-PD-1 Blockade in Rare Tumors (DART SWOG 1609) in Patients with Nonpancreatic Neuroendocrine Tumors
Authors: Sandip P Patel, Megan Othus, Young Kwang Chae, Francis J Giles, Donna E Hansel, Preet Paul Singh, Annette Fontaine, Manisha H Shah, Anup Kasi, Tareq Al Baghdadi, Marc Matrana, Zoran Gatalica, W Michael Korn, Jourdain Hayward, Christine McLeod, Helen X Chen, Elad Sharon, Edward Mayerson, Christopher W Ryan, Melissa Plets, Charles D Blanke, Razelle Kurzrock.
David Gandara
“Worth mentioning that study endpoint was combined 12 tumor types. For lung cancer, no increase at all in identification of stage 1 or 2 disease by this assay, the most curable subset. If this were a glass, maybe 1/4 full.”
Cathy Eng
“Grateful to Aparna Raj Parikh for organizing this and highlighting our amazing GI family with honorary member Dr. Nina Shah
Not everyone could make it…
These are some of the most Incredible people that you will meet and who share one mission: Omitting cancer and helping others.”
Sam Stevens
“Value, Access and Quality Care: Can We Have It All?
Some hard conversations ahead as health systems make judgements about value in care amid rising financial costs and constrained budgets. However, it is possible to work together on solutions.
Thanks Ian, Brooke, Haydeé Verduzco and Ajay Aggarwal for showing us the challenges and opportunities, if we choose to take them on.”
Patrick Forde
“Impressive results from the phase 3 Harmoni 6 trial of chemotherapy plus ivonescimab or anti-PD1 for advanced squamous lung cancer. HR for overall survival 0.66. May lead to approval in EU, results of Harmoni 3 awaited!”
Ola Khorshid
“What an inspiration lecture – “Onco silence is a bad disease” absolutely! Impact can be done saving one life saves the world.
Let’s have global impact patients everywhere, Gevorg Tamamyan. And in my opinion “The future of global oncology is not defined by how much knowledge we generate, but by how effectively we share it, how equitably we collaborate, and how rapidly we translate evidence into better outcomes for patient”.
Ruiling Yuan
“ASCO26 | Health Policy CoP
Wonderful and very successful ASCO CoP Health Policy meeting this morning. Congratulations to our award winners Enes Erul, Joanna Metzner-Sadurski and Noha Soror
Thank you Jasmine Kamboj for your leadership, vision, and for bringing us all together. Your energy and passion continue to inspire so many of us.
Special thanks to Dr. Ed Balaban for the outstanding keynote presentation, and thank you to our outstanding panelists Chadi Nabhan, Eric Lander, Joanna Metzner-Sadurski, Joshua Pritchett, Dr. Monica Malik, Dr. Vidya Kollu, Noha Soror and Enes Erul for the valuable insights and thoughtful discussions.
Honored to serve as incoming Co-Lead for the ASCO Health Policy CoP alongside Wade Swenson. Pressure is on… more work to do ”
Pashtoon Kasi
“ASCO26
Honored and excited to have contributed to the study at City of Hope. More options for our patients in an unprecedented way!
What was also very heartening was the rapid improvement in cancer related symptoms and rapid fall of markers (19-9/ctDNA).
History in the making. Important landmark and milestone accomplished. This news is beyond an option for patients with pancreas cancer in the 2nd line setting.”
Jame Abraham
“Absolutely practice changing! One of the most stunning developments in the treatment of patients with metastatic pancreatic cancer!
It is one of the rare moments in oncology which you will always remember! Like the imatinib, trastuzumab presentations.”
Santiago Fontes
“ASCO Plenary Session; RAS is no longer UN-DRUGGABLE
For decades, RAS was considered the archetypal “undruggable” target, representing one of the greatest challenges in oncology.
Today, that paradigm has shifted
The presentation of the RASolute trial at the ASCO Annual Meeting 2026 highlights the remarkable progress being made in targeting RAS-driven cancers and further reinforces the transition from therapeutic nihilism to precision medicine; specially in pancreatic cancer!!
While resistance mechanisms and patient selection remain critical challenges, the momentum in RAS-directed therapies is undeniable.
RAS is no longer undruggable—it is increasingly actionable.”
Devika Das
“Practice changing! What a memorable plenary and journey for RAS!
Can’t wait for the lcsm data/trials now! This is why our patients with all cancers deserve precision medicine and access to clinical trials!”
Katy Beckermann
“CHAMP met its primary endpoint: 6-month PFS 74% vs 55% historical control, with 23% 2-year survival in a population where platinum-taxane alone rarely gets patients past a year.
The randomization question is the right question. Single-arm with historical comparator is often the only feasible design when you’re enrolling NEPC/AVPC, but it makes regulatory translation hard. A randomized phase 2 would require network coordination and sustained sponsor commitment to a rare, rapidly progressing population. Worth pushing for.
This is the most actionable data we have in this space. Well done to the Duke team.”
Dillon Cockrell
“ABBV-969 is a PSMA-STEAP1 ADC with ASCO26 phase 1 (n=49) data in mCRPC (prior taxane and ARPI required). Heavily pretreated cohort. Hematologic and GI toxicity most relevant at high doses.
Impressive PSA and radiographic responses. This looks like a viable future ADC treatment option for #ProstateCancer patients, albeit with expected toxicity. Great presentation by Tanya Dorff.”
Kazuki Nozawa
“DESTINY-Breast09 exploratory analysis.
Deep PR (≥80% tumor reduction), a marker of long-term benefit with T-DXd + pertuzumab in first-line HER2+ metastatic breast cancer.
More than half of patients achieved CR or deep PR, with excellent 24-month PFS rates (85% and 80%, respectively). Responses continued to deepen over time, with no new safety signals observed.”
David Aggen
“Can you rechallenge with Enfortumab Vedotin after progression?
New real-world data from Michal Sternschuss (Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center) at ASCO2026 says: in some yes – promising in patients with prior EV benefit and EV-free interval >6 months. 55 pts, ORR 25%, median OS 15.2 months. | Abstract 547088, Poster A57″
Antonio Calles
“Practice changing LIBRETTO-432 trial:
Adjuvant selpercatinib HR 0.13 for DFS in stage II-III RET+ NSCLC after adjuvant chemotherapy.
- Comprehensive biomarker testing is mandatory
- Note: it requiered n=3149 biomarker negative test to enroll 151 pts.
So never give up!”
Balazs Halmos
“HARMONI-6 study results brings music to an oncologist’s ears!
Doublet chemo/ivonescimab vs chemo/tislelizumab shows clear superiority for the VEGF1/PD-1 bispecific with impressive OS HR of 0.66 – widening separation of OS curves and a manageable added typical VEGF AE profile without major bleeding concerns provided additional impetus for approach.
While further ex-China confirmatory trials are awaited, it still seems with these exciting results after a multi-year twisting and turning Oncflix series ivonescimab had finally reached the Summit!”
Also read 25 Posts Not To Miss From ASCO 2026 Day 2
