Breakthroughs in Cancer Treatment:
Notable advancements were reported in lung cancer, breast cancer, melanoma, and bladder cancer. Specific treatments such as Osimertinib, nivolumab plus ipilimumab, and enfortumab vedotin were highlighted for their efficacy in different cancer stages.
Real-World Evidence (RWE) Studies:
Over 360 RWE studies were reported, with eight demonstrating superiority in areas such as head and neck cancer, non-small cell lung cancer, and metastatic breast cancer. These studies emphasize the use of real-world data to validate clinical trial results and improve patient outcomes.
Health Economics and Outcomes Research (HEOR):
The conference highlighted 26 cost-effectiveness analyses, 40+ treatment pattern studies, 150+ registry studies, and 70+ adherence studies. These analyses underscore the importance of balancing clinical efficacy with healthcare costs, particularly in precision medicine and immunotherapy.
AI in Cancer Research:
AI was a prominent topic, with 41 studies showcasing various applications of AI in cancer treatment, including predictive algorithms for immunotherapy response and optimizing treatment outcomes.
Most Notable Studies Presented at ASCO 2024
Objective: The study focused on the use of Osimertinib (Osi) after chemoradiotherapy (CRT) in patients with unresectable stage III epidermal growth factor receptor-mutated (EGFRm) non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).
Key Results:
Osimertinib significantly improved progression-free survival (PFS) compared to placebo. The hazard ratio (HR) was 0.16 (95% CI 0.10, 0.24; p<0.001).
The median PFS was 39.1 months for Osimertinib versus 5.6 months for placebo.
These results establish Osimertinib as the new standard of care (SoC) for unresectable stage III EGFRm NSCLC.
Conclusion: This study demonstrated a statistically significant and clinically meaningful improvement in PFS for patients treated with Osimertinib, solidifying its position as a key treatment in this setting.
Objective: To compare perioperative chemotherapy (FLOT protocol) with neoadjuvant chemoradiation (CROSS protocol) in patients with adenocarcinoma of the esophagus.
Key Results:
After a median follow-up of 55 months, 218 patients had died (97 FLOT; 121 CROSS). Median overall survival (OS) was 66 months in the FLOT arm and 37 months in the CROSS arm.
The hazard ratio was 0.70 (95% CI 0.53-0.92; p=0.012), favoring FLOT.
Conclusion: The FLOT protocol improved survival rates compared to the CROSS protocol and should be considered the superior perioperative treatment for resectable esophageal adenocarcinoma.
Objective: This phase 3 trial compared neoadjuvant nivolumab plus ipilimumab (Neoadj) to adjuvant nivolumab (Adj) in resectable stage III melanoma.
Key Results:
Significantly fewer events occurred in the neoadjuvant arm (28) compared to the adjuvant arm (72), with a hazard ratio (HR) of 0.32 (99.9% CI 0.15-0.66; p<0.0001).
The estimated 12-month event-free survival (EFS) rates were 83.7% in the neoadjuvant group versus 57.2% in the adjuvant group.
Conclusion: Neoadjuvant nivolumab plus ipilimumab significantly improved EFS and should be considered a new SoC treatment for macroscopic stage III melanoma.
Objective: To evaluate the long-term effectiveness of lorlatinib compared to crizotinib in treatment-naïve patients with advanced ALK+ non-small cell lung cancer.
Key Results:
After five years of follow-up, the median PFS was not reached for lorlatinib and was only 9.1 months for crizotinib.
The five-year PFS rates were 60% for lorlatinib and 8% for crizotinib.
Conclusion: Lorlatinib demonstrated unprecedented improvement in PFS and is now considered the most effective treatment for ALK+ NSCLC in this setting.
Objective: This phase 3 study evaluated belantamab mafodotin plus pomalidomide and dexamethasone (BPd) against a standard regimen (PVd) in relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma (RRMM).
Key Results:
The 12-month PFS rate was 71% for BPd versus 51% for PVd. BPd also had a higher overall response rate (77%) compared to PVd (72%).
The rate of complete response or better was 40% with BPd versus 16% with PVd.
Conclusion: BPd showed a statistically significant improvement in PFS and overall response rates in RRMM, supporting its use in patients with multiple prior lines of therapy.
These studies showcase significant advancements in cancer treatment, particularly in lung cancer, melanoma, esophageal cancer, and multiple myeloma, with new therapies showing promise in extending patient survival and improving outcomes.