ASCO Annual Meeting 2026

Pembrolizumab plus chemotherapy before and after surgery in stage II–III TNBC: 7-year event-free survival 78.3% vs 69.8% and overall survival 85.1% vs 77.2%. Confirms a durable survival benefit for chemo-immunotherapy in early TNBC.

In first-line PD-L1-positive metastatic TNBC, the ADC-plus-immunotherapy arm improved progression-free survival on the next line of therapy (PFS2) versus chemotherapy plus pembrolizumab, supporting the first-line approval granted in June 2026.

Sacituzumab govitecan (ASCENT-03) and datopotamab deruxtecan (TROPION-Breast02) each beat chemotherapy on progression-free survival in first-line metastatic TNBC not eligible for immunotherapy; TROPION-Breast02 also reported an overall survival benefit (BCRF summarises a 21% reduction in risk of death).

The EGFR×HER3 bispecific ADC improved progression-free and overall survival versus chemotherapy in previously treated advanced TNBC, the first phase 3 win for a bispecific ADC; haematologic toxicity was the main safety signal.

In 142,250 participants, annual Galleri screening did not significantly reduce combined stage III–IV cancers (the primary endpoint) within one year of follow-up. Stage IV diagnoses fell 14% overall (22% in year 2, 26% in year 3), stage I–II diagnoses of the 12 target cancers rose 16%, positive predictive value was 52%, and specificity 99.55%. The result feeds the FDA advisory committee on 23 September 2026 and NHS England's rollout decision.

Switching to the oral SERD camizestrant when an ESR1 mutation appears in blood, before radiographic progression, extended progression-free survival by a median 7.6 months in HR+/HER2- breast cancer on CDK4/6 inhibitor therapy, validating ctDNA-triggered treatment change.

The oral SERD giredestrant reduced the risk of invasive recurrence or death by about 30% versus standard endocrine therapy in ER+/HER2- early breast cancer, the first oral SERD success in the adjuvant setting.

Using the Prosigna 50-gene assay, 68% of clinically high-risk ER+/HER2- patients were reclassified as low genomic risk and safely avoided chemotherapy, with comparable outcomes.

Cohorts (OPTimal, ETNA, TIL-CHOICE) showed stage I TNBC with stromal TILs above 50% has more than 90% five-year recurrence-free survival without chemotherapy; SCARLET (S2212) tests an anthracycline-free regimen.