A. Enguita PhD

Highlights in hormone-receptor-positive breast cancer

SABCS 2022 featured a plethora of interesting presentations in the field of hormone receptor-positive (HR+) breast cancer (BC). In the early disease setting, updated results were presented for the MonarchE trial, evaluating adjuvant abemaciclib + endocrine therapy (ET). Results were also presented for the SWOG S1207 study, assessing the addition of everolimus to adjuvant ET, together with 12-year results of TAILORx. A final early-stage study evaluated the Breast Cancer Index as a tool to select pre-menopausal patients for whom ovarian function suppression (OFS) will likely not be beneficial. In the advanced setting, the RIGHT Choice study assessed ribociclib plus ET in patients with aggressive forms of metastatic HR+ BC. Several novel treatment strategies were also evaluated in the metastatic HR+ setting. CAPItello-291 tested the AKT inhibitor capivasertib plus fulvestrant (CAPItello-291), while several other studies addressed the use of selective oestrogen receptor degraders (SERDs) in this setting. Finally, an analysis of the phase III TROPICS-2 study was presented evaluating the efficacy of Sacituzumab Govitecan in function of Trop-2 expression levels.

Highlights in lung cancer

The 2022 annual ESMO meeting again featured a long list of interesting lung cancer-related abstracts, ranging from long-term updates of pivotal studies to preliminary data of studies assessing novel treatment strategies for lung cancer. This article will give an overview of the key highlights in lung cancer presented during this meeting. We are grateful to Prof. Lore Decoster, from the University Hospital Brussels, for helping us I selecting the abstracts for this overview and for providing her expert opinion on the different studies.

(Belg J Med Oncol 2022;16(8):395–403)

Highlights in breast cancer

The 2022 annual ESMO meeting featured a plethora of interesting presentations in the field of breast cancer (BC). In the hormone-sensitive setting, data were presented on the effect of extending adjuvant aromatase inhibitor therapy in patients with early-stage disease. In the metastatic setting, interesting updates were presented with CDK4/6 inhibitors, while other abstracts reported the potential of selective oestrogen receptor modulators or degraders. In addition, updated results were presented for the TROPiCS-02 study evaluating the antibody-drug conjugate sacituzumab govitecan in pre-treated patients with HR+/HER2− metastatic breast cancer. Finally, metronomic treatment with vinorelbine plus cyclophosphamide and capecitabine proved to be another feasible treatment strategy in this setting. In triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), (neo)adjuvant data with pembrolizumab were presented together with emerging results on the use of the anti-CD73 agent oleclumab in patients with advanced TNBC. We are very grateful to Prof. Hans Wildiers and Dr. Kevin Punie for their help in making the abstract selection for this article.

(Belg J Med Oncol 2022;16(8):387–94)

Congress highlights 2022

In line with the tradition, the BMUC scientific committee asked a urologist, a radiation oncologist, and a medical oncologist to summarise the top stories presented during the large urology and oncology meetings of the past year.

Neoadjuvant and adjuvant systemic therapy in bladder cancer

In recent years, researchers have evaluated the integration of immunotherapy in the perioperative management of patients with muscle invasive bladder cancer (MIBC), with mixed results. During BMUC 2022, Professor Richard Cathomas (Division of Oncolgy, Cantonal Hospital Graubünden, Switzerland, and University of Zurich, Switzerland) provided an overview of these advances.

Molecular tests in oncology

Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS) significantly changed cancer management, allowing the identification of different oncogenic drivers and the subsequent approval of many targeted agents. An overview of the Belgian reimbursement situation and drug access in this setting was given during the molecular tests in oncology session of the Belgian Society of Medical Oncology (BSMO) annual meeting. First, Prof. Brigitte Maes (Jessa Hospital, Hasselt) walked us through the current NGS situation in
Belgium with a discussion of the achievements and challenges of the BALLETT study. Subsequently, Dr. Kevin Punie (Leuven University Hospital, Leuven) discussed the current strategy, tasks and challenges of the molecular tumour board (MTB). Finally, Pr. Lore Decoster (University Hospital Brussel), Dr. Wim Demey (Klina General Hospital, Brasschaat) and Dr. Joëlle Collignon (CHU de Liège, Liège) addressed the reimbursements of drugs in lung, gastro-oesophageal, biliary and pancreatic cancer.

Highlights in gynaecological oncology

The 2021 annual ESMO meeting featured several presentations with the potential to shift the standard of care in gynaecological cancers. In cervical cancer, Keynote-826 identified pembrolizumab + chemotherapy (with or without bevacizumab) as a potential new standard of care for patients with persistent, recurrent, or metastatic cervical cancer. In addition, also the antibody drug conjugate tisotumab vedotin showed encouraging and durable anti-tumour activity in this setting. In the field of the ovarian cancer, PARP inhibition again walked away with most of the attention, but also the glucocorticoid receptor modulator relacorilant and combination therapy with the immune checkpoint inhibitor atezolizumab and bevacizumab yielded interesting data. Also for patients with advanced endometrial cancer, ESMO 2021 proved to be of interest, with important updates on the use of pembrolizumab in this setting.

(BELG J MED ONCOL 2021;15(8):428–35)