Dillon Cockrell, GU Medical Oncologist at Duke Cancer Institute, shared on LinkedIn:
“ESMO26 is approaching with several key GU studies being presented next week across prostate cancer, bladder cancer, and kidney cancer.
- DASLHiCaP – LBA4
Darolutamide + ADT + definitive or salvage RT in very-high-risk localized prostate cancer.
Can darolutamide provide another evidence-based option for intensification with RT? Particularly interested in the salvage population, absolute benefit, and treatment tolerability.
Important space that has been less impacted than many would expect by the ARPI options we have in metastatic disease.
__
- PROTEUS substudy – LBA53
Perioperative apalutamide + ADT + prostatectomy vs surgery alone in high risk prostate cancer.
Important follow-up to the parent trial (perioperative ADT +/- apalutamide with surgery), addressing the full perioperative strategy against surgery alone.
This will be more informative to my practice than the prior ASCO26 plenary, providing a better SOC comparator with surgery alone rather than ADT + surgery. Longer-term outcomes (does systemic therapy reduce need for salvage RT?) will matter more than pathologic response.
__
- VOLGA – LBA2
Perioperative durvalumab ± tremelimumab + neoadjuvant EV in MIBC.
Positive EFS/OS topline announced for durva + EV. Looking for the magnitude of benefit, surgical outcomes, and toxicity.
We know EV+IO has led to major improvements in outcomes for MIBC. Can we offer a less toxic perioperative paradigm with omission of post-op EV?
__
- KEYNOTEB15 ctDNA – 4734O
Molecular response with perioperative EV + pembrolizumab.
Can ctDNA identify residual risk beyond what we learn from surgical pathology?
Particularly interested in discordant results. Identifying a favorable-risk group is different from proving we can safely reduce treatment.
__
- LITESPARK011 / LITESPARK012 – 3587O, 3595RO, 3586O
011: Belzutifan + lenvatinib improved PFS vs cabo after IO (14.8 vs 10.7 mo; HR 0.70), leading to September FDA approval. Final OS not significant (HR 0.85). ESMO adds detailed final and QoL analyses. Looking at prior-treatment subgroups and how the benefit balances anemia/hypoxia toxicity.
012: Adding belzutifan to frontline pembro/len missed PFS/OS endpoints. Full results should clarify efficacy and treatment delivery.
Better disease control after IO, but unsuccessful frontline intensification. Where does HIF-2α inhibition add the most value?
__
- JNJ6143 (formerly HLD-0915) – 2216O
Updated data for an oral AR-targeted RIPTAC in mAPMR (mCRPC) .
Chance to see activity and durability for a novel, on-target treatment mechanism for patients with resistant, heavily pre-treated disease.
Glad to contribute to this phase I/II work as a co-author and site PI here at Duke Cancer Institute.
Also watching: CAPItello281 updated OS, mature PEACE1 survival, and PAPMET2 in papillary RCC.”
_____
The ESMO 2026 Congress will take place from 23 to 27 October 2026 in Madrid, Spain, with a dedicated virtual platform offering additional opportunities to participate.
Bringing together the global oncology community, the congress will provide a platform for knowledge exchange, scientific collaboration, and meaningful discussions on the future of cancer care.
Participants will have the opportunity to connect with international colleagues, learn from leading experts, and explore the latest advances in cancer research, treatment, and patient care.
_____
This might be interesting:
10 Bladder and Urothelial Cancer Trials to Watch at ESMO 2026
