Ahmet Dirican, Professor of Medical Oncology at Medicana International İzmir Hospital, shared his insights on ESMO Congress 2026, on X.
ESMO 2026 brought together oncology experts to discuss the latest advances in cancer research and treatment. Through his posts, Ahmet Dirican highlighted several important updates and takeaways from the congress.
“At ESMO2026 in Madrid, Prof. Herbert H. Loong emphasized that the future of precision oncology depends on three key elements: Precision, Speed, and Access. He highlighted how multi-omic liquid biopsy approaches can complement tissue testing, support MRD detection, monitor treatment response, and potentially make precision oncology more accessible and sustainable. Precision oncology is not just about identifying the right treatment, but delivering it at the right time to more patients.
Eight Frameworks Shaping the Future of Oncology
In his opening address at ESMO 2026 in Madrid, ESMO President Prof. Fabrice André highlighted eight completed ESMO frameworks:
- ESCAT v2 – Clinical actionability of molecular targets
- ETAC-S – Tumour-agnostic classification and screening
- NGS recommendations – Molecular profiling in oncology
- EBAI – AI-based biomarkers in oncology
- ELCAP – Large language models in clinical practice
- EnLIST – Lines of systemic therapy
- ESMO-GROW – Real-world evidence reporting
- ESMO-MCBS v2 – Magnitude of clinical benefit
Four additional frameworks are under development and expected within the next 6-12 months.
Cancer vaccines take center stage at ESMO 2026
Oct 23: mRNA cancer vaccines,
Oct 24: INTERPATH-001 Phase III-personalized mRNA neoantigen therapy + pembrolizumab in melanoma,
Oct 25: All about cancer vaccines Eagerly awaiting the Phase III results!
Cancer vaccines: After 100 years of setbacks, are we finally getting closer?
My key takeaways from ESMO 2026:
- Personalized mRNA vaccines may generate durable T-cell immunity, even in low-TMB tumors.
- Promising signals in pancreatic cancer and melanoma.
- Phase III validation and broader access remain critical.
The next frontier in precision oncology?
My three key takeaways from the AI session at ESMO 2026:
- AI is evolving from chatbots to autonomous clinical agents.
- A correct answer does not always mean correct reasoning.
- Clinical validation, transparency and human oversight remain essential.
The question is no longer just what AI can do, but when we can trust it.
Impressive results with a next-generation bispecific ADC!
Phase III PANKU-Breast01: EGFR×HER3-targeting iza-bren improved median PFS in HR+/HER2− metastatic breast cancer (8.2 vs 4.0 months; HR 0.41). However, grade ≥3 treatment-related AEs reached 85.3%.
Key questions: Do ESR1, PIK3CA, or PTEN alterations influence response? What is the impact of prior ADC exposure?
Does immune activation translate into tumor eradication?
After two doses of durvalumab in stage I TNBC:
- pCR: 1.4%
- sTILs: 10% – 22%
- PD-L1 CPS: 10 – 20
Robust immune activation, but minimal pathological response.
Can ADCs overcome the blood-brain barrier?
TROPION-Breast02: Dato-DXd vs chemotherapy in metastatic TNBC with brain metastases.
- CNS PFS: 9.5 vs 2.6 months (HR 0.27)
- Intracranial ORR: 62.5% vs 37.5%
Promising intracranial activity, although subgroup findings remain exploratory.
Can selective CDK4 inhibition overcome resistance to CDK4/6 inhibitors?
Interesting data presented at ESMO26! In the randomized Phase II FOURLIGHT-1 trial, atirmociclib + fulvestrant improved median PFS compared with investigator’s choice after prior CDK4/6 inhibitor therapy: 9.4 vs 6.6 months: HR 0.60.
Selective CDK4 inhibition may offer a new strategy after CDK4/6 inhibitor progression, potentially with improved tolerability.
But the key question remains: Can selective CDK4 inhibition outperform current CDK4/6 inhibitors in the first-line setting? FOURLIGHT-3 may provide the answer.”
Other articles about ESMO 2026 on OncoDaily.