10 Must-Read Posts in Immuno-Oncology This Week

At OncoDaily Immuno-Oncology, we highlight the most impactful developments in cancer treatment each week. This roundup covers liquid biopsy in rectal cancer, neoadjuvant immunotherapy in lung cancer, and the role of platinum-based chemotherapy in PD-1 resistance. It provides key insights into precision oncology for METex14 NSCLC, perioperative pembrolizumab updates, CAR-T therapy advancements, and combination strategies with SBRT and immunotherapy.

Davide Ciardiello (Medical Director at IEO European Institute of Oncology):

“Can liquid biopsy be integrated into the treatment of patients with locally advanced rectal cancer who are candidates for non-operative management (NOM)?

The NOMINATE study demonstrated that circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) was not present in 40% of patients with a complete/near-complete clinical response/pathology on liquid biopsy analysis

The trial is still ongoing (expansion of the original cohort), the follow-up is still too short, however these are data that, if confirmed, could provide a fundamental tool to define the best therapeutic strategy for each patient.”

Read the full article.

Alfonso Duenas-Gonzalez (Medical Oncologist and Senior Researcher at National Cancer Institute of Mexico):

“Overall Survival with Neoadjuvant Nivolumab plus Chemotherapy in Lung Cancer | New England Journal of Medicine ”

Read the full article.

Antonio Nuccio (Research Fellow at Gustave Roussy):

“Does platinum-based chemotherapy accelerate acquired resistance to PD-1/PD-L1 blockade in NSCLC?”

Our new work out now on eClinicalMedicine (The Lancet)

Findings:

• PCT-containing regimens increased the risk of acquired resistance (12-mo RR ≈1.4–1.5) and shortened median DoR by 5–7 months compared with PCT-free regimens.
• CTLA-4 inhibition conferred no reduction in resistance risk.
• These results suggest a trade-off: while PCT mitigates primary resistance/early mortality, it may promote earlier acquired resistance, supporting a biomarker-driven, risk-adapted first-line strategy.

Full text (open access).”

Biagio Ricciuti (Thoracic Medical Oncologist at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute):

“Precision oncology keeps getting more precise

Just published in Clinical Cancer Research AACR Journals our study: First-line MET TKIs vs immunotherapy ± chemotherapy in METex14 NSCLC. Dana-Farber Cancer Institute Harvard Medical School MD Anderson Cancer Center

• ICI±chemo showed benefit in tumors with very high PD-L1
• MET TKIs extended survival in patients with lower PD-L1 or brain/bone involvement

Grateful to have co-led this collaborative effort together with Xiuning Le with 1st authors Federica Pecci and Hui Li

Moving beyond single biomarkers toward treatment strategies informed by the intersection of genomics and clinical context.

Link.”

Hidehito Horinouchi (Assistant Chief, Department of Thoracic Oncology at National Cancer Center Hospital):

” WCLC25 Lung Cancer Mini Oral Abstract KEYNOTE-671 4-year update Perioperative Pembrolizumab in Non-Small Cell Cancer (NSCLC): 4-Year Outcomes by Nodal Status in the KEYNOTE-671 Study.”

Read the full article.

Christina Ruhlmann (Associate professor at OUH Odense Universitetshospital):

“Marco Donia on stage right now talking about the challenges in treating melanoma in the neoadjuvant setting – room packed with Danish cancer clinicians and researchers .”

Triantafyllos Stylianopoulos (Associate Professor at the University of Cyprus):

“Another article from our lab has been released! Remodeling the tumor microenvironment to enhance CAR-T cell therapy with Tereza Andreou and Maria Kalli, Cancer Biophysics Laboratory and Fotios Mpekris and Constantina Neophytou, The Cyprus Institute of Neurology and Genetics!”

Read the full article.

Hidehito Horinouchi (Assistant Chief, Department of Thoracic Oncology at National Cancer Center Hospital):

” WCLC25 Lung Cancer Oral Abstract IFCT-1805 Elderly First-Line Atezolizumab Plus Chemotherapy in Elderly Patients With Advanced NSCLC, IFCT-1805 Elderly PFS HR 0.56 (0.46-0.69), OS HR 0.87 (0.70-1.08)”

Read the full article.

Drew Moghanaki (Chief Medical Officer at Respirati):

“A colorful slide and a pontificating Henning Willers to ponder the four randomized clinical trials evaluating SBRT + immunotherapy for stage I NSCLC”

Watch the video.

Written by Rima Grigoryan, MDc, Assistant Editor of OncoDaily IO.