Breast Cancer
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Jul 13 – Jul 20, 2026
Breast Cancer Follow-Up and Surveillance After Primary Treatment: ASCO Guideline Update.
J CLIN ONCOL · Q1 JOURNAL - RANK #6/326TOP-TIER
This ASCO guideline update utilized a systematic review and Delphi consensus to establish recommendations for breast cancer surveillance following primary treatment. The panel identified one randomized controlled trial supporting mammography, while other recommendations rely on expert consensus due to a lack of high-quality comparative data for risk-based approaches. Key findings advocate for regular history, physical examinations, and mammography, with the option for virtual visits and intensified monitoring for high-risk patients with locally advanced or residual disease. These guidelines provide a standardized, risk-based framework for clinicians to manage long-term follow-up and optimize detection of recurrence in breast cancer survivors.
10.1200/JCO-26-01700
Progression-Free Survival in Metastatic Breast Cancer by Local Investigators vs Blinded Independent Central Review: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
JAMA ONCOL · Q1 JOURNAL - RANK #14/326TOP-TIER
This systematic review and meta-analysis of 21 randomized clinical trials (9165 patients) compared progression-free survival (PFS) assessments by local investigators versus blinded independent central review (BICR) in hormone receptor-positive/ERBB2-negative metastatic breast cancer (mBC). The study found no statistically significant difference between the two assessment methods overall, with a discrepancy index of 1.02 (95% CI, 0.95-1.10; P = .57). The pooled PFS difference was 0.26 months (95% CI, -0.16 to 0.68 months; P = .22) in interventional arms and 0.44 months (95% CI, 0.09-0.78 months; P = .01) in control arms. These findings suggest that both approaches yield comparable PFS estimates, providing clinicians with confidence in interpreting mBC trial data for evidence-based treatment decisions.
10.1001/jamaoncol.2026.1571
Switching to camizestrant at ESR1 mutation emergence before disease progression during first-line treatment of hormone receptor-positive advanced breast cancer (SERENA-6): extended analysis of a double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomised, phase 3 trial.
LANCET ONCOL · Q1 JOURNAL - RANK #8/326TOP-TIER
This double-blind, randomized phase 3 trial used prospective ctDNA monitoring to detect ESR1 mutations before clinical progression in HR+/HER2- advanced breast cancer patients on first-line aromatase inhibitor plus CDK4/6 inhibitor. Switching to camizestrant plus CDK4/6 inhibitor at mutation emergence significantly improved median progression-free survival (16.8 vs 9.2 months; HR 0.45) and second progression-free survival (25.7 vs 19.1 months; HR 0.63). The strategy aligns directly with cancer-focused interests by addressing acquired endocrine resistance through targeted therapy switch guided by ctDNA. Clinically, this supports preemptive ESR1 mutation surveillance and immediate endocrine therapy change to camizestrant to extend first-line benefit while continuing CDK4/6 inhibition.
10.1016/S1470-2045(26)00287-1
Current Management of Human Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor 2-Positive Breast Cancer in a Changing Landscape.
J CLIN ONCOL · Q1 JOURNAL - RANK #6/326TOP-TIER
This review examines the evolving management of HER2-positive breast cancer, focusing on the impact of successive generations of targeted therapies including monoclonal antibodies and antibody-drug conjugates. Advances have extended median survival from under two years to common long-term survival beyond five years, with trastuzumab deruxtecan (T-DXd) showing unprecedented efficacy in both metastatic and curative settings. The shift toward earlier T-DXd use necessitates new strategies for treatment sequencing and the management of specific toxicities, such as interstitial lung disease. Clinicians must adapt to a landscape where de novo metastatic presentations are increasing, requiring a nuanced approach to downstream therapy selection and patient monitoring.
10.1200/JCO-26-00672
Jul 06 – Jul 13, 2026
Global breast cancer survival estimates in 2017-2021 to advance the WHO Global Breast Cancer Initiative.
NAT MED · Q1 JOURNAL - RANK #1/195TOP-TIER
This WHO study estimated population-based 5-year net survival for women diagnosed with breast cancer between 2017 and 2021 across 194 Member States. Results revealed stark regional disparities, with median survival ranging from 39.1% in the African Region to 88.5% in the Region of the Americas. These findings directly address the clinician’s interest in cancer by providing a global benchmark for monitoring outcomes and identifying critical gaps in care. The data underscores the urgent need for sustained initiatives to improve access to diagnosis and treatment to achieve global mortality reduction targets.
10.1038/s41591-026-04531-2
Jun 29 – Jul 06, 2026
Cardiac Risk After Heart-Sparing Breast Radiotherapy.
JAMA ONCOL · Q1 JOURNAL - RANK #14/326TOP-TIER
This cross-sectional study investigated cardiac risk after heart-sparing breast radiotherapy in 4908 breast cancer patients (2223 left-sided) with a median 10.8-year follow-up, comparing heart and LAD radiation dose metrics. The cumulative incidence of cardiac events or CAD was 5.0% at 10 years. Maximum LAD dose (C index, 0.58) discriminated better than mean heart dose (C index, 0.53), with LAD dose ≥12 Gy EQD2 independently associated with higher cardiac risk (sHR = 1.81; P = .04). These findings are highly relevant to optimizing breast cancer radiotherapy by supporting LAD-based planning and respiratory motion management to reduce long-term cardiovascular risk.
10.1001/jamaoncol.2026.2066
Trastuzumab rezetecan versus pyrotinib plus capecitabine for patients with HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer (HORIZON-Breast01): interim analysis of a multicentre, open-label, randomised, controlled, phase 3 trial.
LANCET ONCOL · Q1 JOURNAL - RANK #8/326TOP-TIER
This open-label phase 3 trial at 50 Chinese hospitals randomized 287 HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer patients to trastuzumab rezetecan or pyrotinib plus capecitabine after prior trastuzumab and taxane. At 15-month median follow-up, trastuzumab rezetecan significantly improved median progression-free survival (30.6 vs 8.3 months; HR 0.22, p<0.0001) with 12-month PFS rates of 84.7% versus 35.5%. The primary toxicity was hematologic (grade ≥3 neutropenia 54% vs 9%), with 3% interstitial lung disease and no treatment-related deaths. This directly addresses your interest in cancer research, demonstrating a highly effective new HER2-targeted therapy with a distinct safety profile, offering a potential new standard for metastatic breast cancer.
10.1016/S1470-2045(26)00193-2
Novel strategies to overcome the blood-brain barrier in triple-negative breast cancer brain metastases.
LANCET ONCOL · Q1 JOURNAL - RANK #8/326TOP-TIER
This review article advocates a paradigm shift for treating triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) brain metastases by actively targeting and exploiting blood-brain barrier (BBB) biology. Synthesizing preclinical and clinical evidence, it delineates TNBC-specific BBB breach mechanisms and evaluates emerging therapies via a three-pillar framework: physical/focal BBB disruption, biological BBB exploitation, and microenvironmental modulation. The review provides a translational roadmap for unmet clinical needs in this aggressive cancer subtype. It emphasizes that integrated, BBB-centric strategies are crucial to improving patient outcomes, offering new avenues for clinical practice.
10.1016/S1470-2045(26)00146-4
Targeting homologous recombination deficiency with intensified chemotherapy versus standard chemotherapy followed by olaparib in stage III breast cancer (SUBITO): an open-label, randomised, controlled, phase 3 trial.
LANCET ONCOL · Q1 JOURNAL - RANK #8/326TOP-TIER
This open-label, phase 3 trial enrolled 174 patients with stage III, HER2-negative, HRD breast cancer to compare intensified alkylating chemotherapy with autologous stem cell rescue (IACT) against conventional chemotherapy followed by olaparib. At 41 months median follow-up, 4-year overall survival was nearly identical: 77.0% for IACT versus 76.4% for olaparib-based therapy (HR 1.11, p=0.37). The olaparib regimen showed significantly fewer severe toxicities, including lower rates of grade 3-4 thrombocytopenia (19% vs 99%), neutropenia (61% vs 95%), and serious adverse events (26% vs 47%). For clinicians treating high-risk breast cancer with HRD, these results indicate that state-of-the-art chemotherapy plus olaparib achieves equivalent survival with substantially better tolerability than intensified chemotherapy with stem cell rescue.
10.1016/S1470-2045(26)00131-2
Tailoring radiotherapy in cT1-2N1 breast cancer to nodal response on primary chemotherapy (RAPCHEM: BOOG 2010-03): 10-year follow-up results of a Dutch, prospective, registry study.
LANCET ONCOL · Q1 JOURNAL - RANK #8/326TOP-TIER
This prospective registry study evaluated the 10-year outcomes of tailoring locoregional radiotherapy based on nodal response after primary chemotherapy in 838 patients with cT1-2N1 breast cancer. Results demonstrated a low overall 10-year locoregional recurrence rate of 2.9%, with specific rates of 2.4% in the low-risk group and 2.8% in the high-risk group. The study shows that de-escalating or omitting radiotherapy based on chemotherapy response does not significantly increase recurrence risk, maintaining a 10-year overall survival rate of 83.0%. These findings support a personalized approach to radiotherapy, potentially reducing treatment-related morbidity and improving quality of life for breast cancer survivors without compromising oncological safety.
10.1016/S1470-2045(26)00216-0
Internal mammary chain and medial supraclavicular lymph node irradiation in stage I-III breast cancer (EORTC trial 22922/10925): an unplanned subset analysis of 20-year outcomes in patients with node-negative breast cancer.
LANCET ONCOL · Q1 JOURNAL - RANK #8/326TOP-TIER
This unplanned subset analysis of the phase 3 EORTC 22922/10925 trial evaluated the 20-year impact of internal mammary and medial-supraclavicular (IM-MS) irradiation in 1,778 patients with pN0 stage I-III breast cancer. At 22.2 years median follow-up, IM-MS irradiation significantly reduced breast cancer mortality (10.0% vs 14.2%; HR 0.70) but did not improve overall survival (69.0% vs 68.4%; HR 0.98) due to increased non-breast cancer mortality (20.9% vs 17.4%). The findings highlight that while regional nodal irradiation provides long-term oncological control in node-negative patients with central/medial tumors, it carries risks of late toxicities like lung fibrosis (6.4% vs 2.1%). Clinicians must weigh the reduction in cancer-specific mortality against potential late-term treatment complications, emphasizing the need for modern radiation techniques to minimize collateral organ damage.
10.1016/S1470-2045(26)00233-0
Jun 22 – Jun 29, 2026
Neoadjuvant Paclitaxel, Trastuzumab, and Pertuzumab for Stage II to III, ERBB2-Positive Breast Cancer: A Secondary Analysis of the DAPHNe Trial.
JAMA ONCOL · Q1 JOURNAL - RANK #14/326TOP-TIER
This secondary analysis of the DAPHNe phase 2 trial assessed 5-year outcomes and ultrasensitive ctDNA dynamics in 98 patients with stage II-III ERBB2-positive breast cancer receiving neoadjuvant paclitaxel, trastuzumab, and pertuzumab (THP). With a median follow-up of 5.2 years, the 5-year event-free survival was 99% (95% CI, 97%-100%), and overall survival was 99% (95% CI, 97%-100%). Baseline ctDNA was detected in 89.5% of patients, with 96.1% achieving clearance post-neoadjuvant therapy. These findings demonstrate excellent long-term outcomes with neoadjuvant THP and support further investigation into ctDNA-guided de-escalation strategies for ERBB2-positive breast cancer.
10.1001/jamaoncol.2026.2023
SACI-IO HR+: A randomized phase II trial of sacituzumab govitecan with or without pembrolizumab in patients with metastatic hormone receptor-positive/HER2-negative breast cancer.
ANN ONCOL · Q1 JOURNAL - RANK #4/326TOP-TIER
This randomized phase II trial evaluated whether adding pembrolizumab to sacituzumab govitecan (SG) improves outcomes in 104 patients with metastatic hormone receptor-positive/HER2-negative breast cancer. The combination did not significantly improve progression-free survival (8.4 vs 6.7 months; HR 0.76, p=0.12) or overall survival (20.0 vs 18.0 months) compared to SG monotherapy in the unselected population. However, a numerical trend favoring the combination was observed in PD-L1-positive patients, with median progression-free survival reaching 11.1 months versus 5.6 months (HR 0.51). While the primary endpoint was not met, these results suggest that immunotherapy combinations in breast cancer may require biomarker-driven selection, specifically PD-L1 expression, for future clinical application.
10.1016/j.annonc.2026.06.012
Jun 01 – Jun 08, 2026
Final outcomes of the SOFT and TEXT phase III trials in premenopausal hormone receptor-positive early breast cancer.
ANN ONCOL · Q1 JOURNAL - RANK #4/326TOP-TIER
This study reports final 15-year outcomes from the SOFT and TEXT phase III trials, evaluating adjuvant endocrine therapy in premenopausal hormone receptor-positive early breast cancer. Premenopausal women were randomized to tamoxifen (T), T+OFS, or exemestane (E)+OFS, assessing disease-free survival and overall survival. Escalating therapy, particularly E+OFS, continued to reduce recurrence, with 15-year BCFI 78.6% for E+OFS versus 72.1% for T in SOFT, and E+OFS versus T+OFS reducing distant recurrence (HR 0.75) in combined HER2-negative cohorts. Meaningful overall survival benefits from E+OFS and/or OFS are primarily limited to high-risk premenopausal subgroups, such as those with young age or high-grade HER2-negative tumors, guiding personalized treatment strategies.
10.1016/j.annonc.2026.05.704
International disruptions to cancer diagnosis and stage at presentation during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020: an International Cancer Benchmarking Partnership (ICBP) population-based study.
LANCET ONCOL · Q1 JOURNAL - RANK #8/326TOP-TIER
This population-based study analyzed 2.6 million patients across seven countries to evaluate how the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted the incidence and staging of seven major cancer types in 2020. Researchers found that 16% (55,713) of expected cancer cases were missing between April and December 2020, with the highest deficits occurring in prostate (24%), breast (18%), and melanoma (18%) diagnoses. The data reveals significant regional variations, such as a 54% deficit in UK prostate cancer cases, highlighting critical gaps in screening and diagnostic access during lockdowns. These findings underscore a pressing clinical need to address diagnostic backlogs and monitor for potential stage shifts in patients whose diagnoses were delayed by pandemic-related healthcare barriers.
10.1016/S1470-2045(26)00089-6
Fovinaciclib for First-Line Therapy of Advanced Breast Cancer: A Randomized Clinical Trial.
JAMA ONCOL · Q1 JOURNAL - RANK #14/326TOP-TIER
This phase 3 randomized clinical trial evaluated fovinaciclib plus an aromatase inhibitor as first-line therapy for 417 patients with hormone receptor-positive, ERBB2-negative advanced breast cancer. The fovinaciclib group demonstrated a significantly prolonged median progression-free survival compared to the placebo group (not reached vs 20.2 months; HR 0.55; P < .001). Clinically, the addition of fovinaciclib provides a meaningful efficacy benefit with a manageable safety profile and no detrimental impact on patient quality of life. These findings suggest fovinaciclib is a potent first-line treatment option for this specific oncological population.
10.1001/jamaoncol.2026.1938
A Randomized Phase III Trial of Anthracyclines Followed by Taxane versus Taxane Plus Carboplatin as (Neo)Adjuvant Therapy in Patients with Triple-Negative Breast Cancer: KCSG BR 15-1 PEARLY Trial.
ANN ONCOL · Q1 JOURNAL - RANK #4/326TOP-TIER
This multicenter, randomized phase III trial evaluated the efficacy of adding carboplatin to standard anthracycline-taxane chemotherapy in 868 patients with early-stage triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). At a 57.2-month median follow-up, the carboplatin arm significantly improved 5-year event-free survival from 75.1% to 82.3% (HR 0.67; 95% CI: 0.49-0.92; P=0.012). While grade 3 or higher adverse events were more frequent with carboplatin (74.7% vs. 56.7%), secondary endpoints like overall survival showed positive trends without compromising quality of life. These results support incorporating carboplatin into (neo)adjuvant regimens for early TNBC to improve long-term clinical outcomes despite increased hematological toxicity.
10.1016/j.annonc.2026.05.703
Low-Dose Tamoxifen in Noninvasive Breast Neoplasia: Long-Term Results From an Individual-Participant Data Pooled Analysis.
J CLIN ONCOL · Q1 JOURNAL - RANK #6/326TOP-TIER
This pooled analysis evaluated low-dose tamoxifen (5 mg daily or 10 mg every other day) versus control for preventing breast cancer events in 1,545 women with ER-positive/unknown DCIS, microinvasive carcinoma, or high-risk lesions over a median 9.4 years. Low-dose tamoxifen significantly reduced overall breast cancer events, particularly in postmenopausal women (HR, 0.51; 10-year absolute reduction of 11.2%). Although no overall reduction was seen in premenopausal women, contralateral breast cancer was reduced (HR, 0.45), with infrequent serious adverse events. These findings are highly relevant for clinicians managing breast cancer risk, supporting endocrine dose de-escalation to improve the benefit-risk profile for prevention in DCIS and high-risk lesions.
10.1200/JCO-26-00841
Impact of Population-Based Pathogenic Variant Testing on Risk-Based Breast Screening Recommendations: A Secondary Analysis of the WISDOM Study.
JAMA ONCOL · Q1 JOURNAL - RANK #14/326TOP-TIER
This cohort study, a secondary analysis of the WISDOM trial, evaluated how many pathogenic variant (PV) carriers in breast cancer genes would be recommended for high-risk screening based on clinical risk or clinical plus polygenic risk models. Among 712 women with PVs, including 232 high-penetrance carriers, only 0.9% of high-penetrance PV carriers would have received the same high-risk screening assignment based on clinical plus polygenic risk. Furthermore, 63.8% of PV carriers aged 40-49 and 88.9% aged 50-74 would have been recommended less intensive screening. These findings highlight that population-based PV testing identifies a distinct subset of high-risk women for breast cancer, underscoring its importance in risk-based screening strategies.
10.1001/jamaoncol.2026.2091
May 25 – Jun 01, 2026
Updated Results of the POSITIVE (Pregnancy Outcome and Safety of Interrupting Therapy for Women with Endocrine Responsive Breast Cancer) Trial.
ANN ONCOL · Q1 JOURNAL - RANK #4/326TOP-TIER
This single-arm prospective trial (POSITIVE) evaluated temporary interruption of adjuvant endocrine therapy (ET) for up to 2 years to allow pregnancy in 518 women under 42 with hormone receptor-positive early breast cancer. At a median follow-up of 71 months, 5-year breast cancer-free interval events were 12.3% in POSITIVE versus 13.2% in matched SOFT/TEXT controls (difference -0.9%; CI -4.2 to 2.6%), and distant recurrence-free interval events were 6.2% vs 8.3% (difference -2.1%; CI -4.5 to 0.4%). Among 497 women, 76% had at least one pregnancy and 69% had at least one live birth, with 440 offspring. These updated results confirm that temporarily pausing ET for pregnancy does not increase short-term cancer recurrence risk, supporting shared decision-making in young patients desiring pregnancy.
10.1016/j.annonc.2026.05.699
Circulating Tumor DNA in Early Breast Cancer: A Review.
JAMA ONCOL · Q1 JOURNAL - RANK #14/326TOP-TIER
This review summarizes current data on circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) minimal residual disease (MRD) assays in early breast cancer, evaluating their potential as a noninvasive biomarker. Key findings indicate ctDNA dynamics during neoadjuvant therapy are associated with pathologic complete response, and post-treatment ctDNA positivity strongly correlates with future distant recurrence. While ctDNA assays show established analytical and clinical validity, their optimal clinical utility and impact on patient outcomes through guided management remain uncertain. The study emphasizes that ctDNA holds promise for refining risk stratification and earlier recurrence detection in early breast cancer, but prospective interventional trials are essential to demonstrate improved outcomes.
10.1001/jamaoncol.2026.1465
Predicting neoadjuvant breast cancer therapy response using BRIDGE from tumor transcriptomics and histopathology.
ANN ONCOL · Q1 JOURNAL - RANK #4/326TOP-TIER
This study developed BRIDGE, a computational framework, to predict pathological complete response (pCR) to neoadjuvant breast cancer therapy by analyzing pre-treatment tumor transcriptomics and histopathology. Trained on 10 and tested on 24 datasets, BRIDGE outperformed commercial signatures, achieving ROC-AUCs of 0.84 (OR=8) in ER+/HER2- tumors, 0.77 (OR=8.3) in HER2+, and 0.73 (OR=3.1) in TNBC. A histology-based version, BRIDGE-Slide, also showed superior performance, offering a potential fast, low-cost biomarker. This framework directly addresses a critical need in cancer management by enabling early, personalized treatment decisions for breast cancer patients.
10.1016/j.annonc.2026.05.700
May 18 – May 25, 2026
Datopotamab deruxtecan (Dato-DXd) in combination with durvalumab as first-line treatment for unresectable locally advanced or metastatic triple-negative breast cancer: results from arms 7 and 8 of the phase Ib/II BEGONIA study.
ANN ONCOL · Q1 JOURNAL - RANK #4/326TOP-TIER
This phase Ib/II study evaluated the safety and efficacy of datopotamab deruxtecan (Dato-DXd) combined with durvalumab as first-line treatment for patients with unresectable locally advanced or metastatic triple-negative breast cancer. In Arm 7 (all PD-L1 levels), the confirmed objective response rate (cORR) was 79.0% with a median progression-free survival of 14.0 months, while Arm 8 (PD-L1-high) showed a cORR of 81.8%. These results demonstrate substantial and durable antitumor activity with a manageable safety profile, regardless of PD-L1 expression status. This combination therapy offers a promising first-line clinical strategy for improving outcomes in a high-need oncological population.
10.1016/j.annonc.2026.05.693
Longitudinal transcriptomic profiling identifies predictors of response to neoadjuvant chemoimmunotherapy in triple-negative breast cancer: results from the NeoTRIPaPDL1 trial.
ANN ONCOL · Q1 JOURNAL - RANK #4/326TOP-TIER
This phase III trial analyzed longitudinal transcriptomic profiles from 280 patients with high-risk triple-negative breast cancer to identify predictors of response to neoadjuvant chemoimmunotherapy. Researchers found that baseline high proliferation and low metabolic signatures, alongside early on-treatment immune activation and tumor clearance, strongly predicted pathologic complete response (pCR). Specifically, the absence of tumor cells in early biopsies served as a robust surrogate for surgical pCR across both treatment arms. These findings suggest that integrating baseline tumor-intrinsic features with early treatment-induced microenvironment remodeling can guide response-adapted neoadjuvant strategies in clinical oncology.
10.1016/j.annonc.2026.05.694
Survival Analysis of the WSG TP-II Trial: Neoadjuvant Trastuzumab and Pertuzumab Plus Endocrine Therapy Versus Chemotherapy in Hormone Receptor-Positive/Human Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor 2-Positive Early Breast Cancer.
J CLIN ONCOL · Q1 JOURNAL - RANK #6/326TOP-TIER
The WSG TP-II trial compared neoadjuvant trastuzumab and pertuzumab plus endocrine therapy versus chemotherapy in 207 patients with hormone receptor-positive/HER2-positive early breast cancer, followed for 5 years. The paclitaxel arm achieved a superior pathologic complete response rate of 56.4% compared to 23.7% in the endocrine therapy arm. At 5 years, overall survival was 100% in the ET arm versus 97.9% in the paclitaxel arm, with invasive disease-free survival rates of 97.7% versus 79.8% respectively. This study confirms excellent survival outcomes with de-escalated neoadjuvant therapy, supporting pCR-guided adjuvant strategies for this specific breast cancer subtype.
10.1200/JCO-25-01047
Real-world heart and lung doses from 30 000 National Health Service radiotherapy treatment plans in England: a national audit of breast radiotherapy practice.
LANCET ONCOL · Q1 JOURNAL - RANK #8/326TOP-TIER
This national audit characterized real-world heart and lung doses in routine breast radiotherapy across 48 NHS centers in England, analyzing 26,236 anonymized plans. For breast-only treatments, median mean heart doses were 0.57 Gy (left) and 0.25 Gy (right), with over 99% below 2 Gy, while nodal plans had higher median MHDs (3.3 Gy left, 2.3 Gy right), with 98.3% meeting the 6 Gy constraint. Most plans met optimal lung dose constraints, though volumetric-modulated arc therapy delivered superior target coverage but higher MHDs. This study provides crucial real-world data on breast cancer radiotherapy safety, identifying opportunities for quality improvement in practice.
10.1016/S1470-2045(26)00185-3
Twenty-year results of the randomized European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer trial 22922/10925 evaluating internal mammary chain and medial supraclavicular lymph node irradiation in stage I-III breast cancer.
CA-CANCER J CLIN · Q1 JOURNAL - RANK #1/326TOP-TIER
This randomized trial evaluated the 20-year impact of internal mammary and medial supraclavicular lymph node irradiation (IM-MS-RT) in 4,004 patients with stage I-III breast cancer. While IM-MS-RT significantly reduced breast cancer mortality (18.6% vs. 22.4%; HR 0.82, p=.006), it did not improve overall survival (61.0% vs. 61.8%; HR 1.00, p=.967) due to a concurrent increase in non-cancer deaths. The treatment was associated with higher rates of lung and cardiac fibrosis, as well as cardiac disease (15.2% vs. 11.7%), particularly emerging after 15 years of follow-up. These findings suggest that the oncological benefits of regional nodal irradiation may be offset by long-term treatment-related toxicities, highlighting the necessity for very long-term monitoring in breast cancer survivors.
10.3322/caac.70082
Preclinical characterization and phase 1 results of TQB2102, a first-in-class HER2 biparatopic antibody-drug conjugate, in patients with advanced solid tumors.
ANN ONCOL · Q1 JOURNAL - RANK #4/326TOP-TIER
This phase 1, first-in-human trial evaluated the safety, efficacy, and pharmacokinetics of TQB2102, a novel HER2 biparatopic ADC, in 195 patients with advanced solid tumors, primarily metastatic breast, colorectal, and gastric/GEJ cancers. The study found a manageable safety profile with no DLTs and MTD not reached, establishing 6.0 and 7.5 mg/kg as RP2D. Preliminary antitumor activity was observed, with objective response rates of 52.4% in MBC, 38.7% in CRC, and 40.0% in G/GEJ adenocarcinoma, including 47.2% in HER2-low MBC. These findings suggest TQB2102 is a promising therapeutic agent for advanced HER2-expressing solid tumors, warranting further investigation in a phase 3 trial for HER2-low MBC.
10.1016/j.annonc.2026.05.003
May 11 – May 18, 2026
Hypofractionated breast radiotherapy for 1 week versus 3 weeks (FAST-Forward): 10-year efficacy and late normal tissue effects from a multicentre, open-label, non-inferiority, phase 3, randomised controlled trial and 5-year efficacy results from a randomised axillary substudy.
LANCET ONCOL · Q1 JOURNAL - RANK #8/326TOP-TIER
The FAST-Forward phase 3 randomized controlled trial investigated the 10-year efficacy and late normal tissue effects of 1-week hypofractionated adjuvant radiotherapy (26 Gy or 27 Gy in five fractions) versus standard 3-week (40 Gy in 15 fractions) for early-stage breast cancer, including a 5-year axillary substudy. With a median 10.1-year follow-up for 4087 participants, 10-year ipsilateral breast recurrence was 3.6% (40 Gy), 2.9% (27 Gy), and 2.1% (26 Gy). Clinician-reported moderate or marked breast/chest wall effects were 13.1% (40 Gy), 19.3% (27 Gy), and 14.4% (26 Gy). The 26 Gy schedule demonstrated non-inferior efficacy and similar normal tissue effects, supporting its use as a standard of care for breast or chest wall radiotherapy.
10.1016/S1470-2045(26)00076-8
Concurrent Versus Sequential Radiation Dose Escalation to the Surgical Cavity for Conservative Treatment of High-Risk Early Breast Cancer: NRG/RTOG 1005 Phase III Trial.
J CLIN ONCOL · Q1 JOURNAL - RANK #6/326TOP-TIER
This phase III trial (NRG/RTOG 1005) randomized 2,255 high-risk early breast cancer patients to compare concurrent radiation boost (40 Gy in 15 fractions) against sequential boost (50/42.7 Gy plus 12/14 Gy) following lumpectomy. At 7.3 years median follow-up, 5-year ipsilateral breast recurrence (IBR) was 1.9% for concurrent versus 2.1% for sequential arms, meeting noninferiority criteria (HR 1.31, 90% CI 0.84-2.04). The study demonstrates that concurrent boost delivery maintains oncologic control and cosmetic outcomes while significantly reducing overall treatment duration for cancer patients. Clinicians can adopt concurrent boost protocols as a standard, more efficient alternative to sequential dosing without compromising safety or survival in high-risk breast cancer populations.
10.1200/JCO-25-02465
May 04 – May 11, 2026
A chemotherapy-free, pathological response-adapted strategy using trastuzumab-pertuzumab and T-DM1 in HER2-positive early breast cancer: the PHERGain-2 study.
ANN ONCOL · Q1 JOURNAL - RANK #4/326TOP-TIER
This phase II study evaluated a chemotherapy-free, pathological complete response (pCR)-guided strategy using neoadjuvant trastuzumab-pertuzumab followed by response-adapted adjuvant therapy in 396 patients with HER2-positive early breast cancer. Results showed a high pCR rate of 59.6%, with a 1-year health-related quality of life decline observed in 42.8% of the total population. The strategy demonstrated manageable toxicity, with only 5.6% of patients experiencing grade 3 or higher treatment-related adverse events. These findings suggest that a chemotherapy-free approach can achieve pCR rates comparable to standard regimens while preserving quality of life, offering a potential de-escalation path for selected node-negative patients.
10.1016/j.annonc.2026.01.013
Tumor-Infiltrating Clonal Hematopoiesis and Pan-Cancer Prognosis in Patients With Solid Tumors.
JAMA ONCOL · Q1 JOURNAL - RANK #14/326TOP-TIER
This retrospective cohort study analyzed whole-genome sequencing data from 10,571 patients with solid tumors to evaluate the prevalence and prognostic impact of tumor-infiltrating clonal hematopoiesis (TI-CH). TI-CH was identified in 18.38% of patients, occurring most frequently in endometrial cancer (32%) and correlating with older age and prior cytotoxic chemotherapy. Results demonstrated that TI-CH is significantly associated with worse pan-cancer overall survival (HR 1.13), with particularly high risk observed in breast cancer patients (HR 1.95) and those with GATA2 variants (HR 3.00). These findings suggest that TI-CH serves as a valuable prognostic biomarker across various solid tumors, potentially refining risk stratification and personalized treatment strategies in oncology.
10.1001/jamaoncol.2026.1036
Effects of ovarian ablation or suppression on breast cancer recurrence and survival: patient-level meta-analysis of 15 000 women in 23 randomised trials.
LANCET · Q1 JOURNAL - RANK #1/332TOP-TIER
This patient-level meta-analysis of 23 randomized trials involving 15,075 premenopausal women evaluated the impact of ovarian function suppression (OFS) on recurrence and mortality in estrogen receptor-positive early breast cancer. OFS significantly reduced recurrence rates (RR 0.82, p<0.00001), with the most pronounced benefits observed in women under 45 years receiving OFS plus tamoxifen (RR 0.73 for recurrence; RR 0.74 for breast cancer mortality). The findings demonstrate that OFS provides additional protection against recurrence and death even when chemotherapy or tamoxifen is administered, particularly for younger patients. Clinicians should consider OFS as a standard component of adjuvant therapy for premenopausal women with ER-positive disease to improve 15-year survival outcomes.
10.1016/S0140-6736(26)00313-2
Apr 27 – May 04, 2026
CDK4/6 inhibitors plus endocrine therapy versus endocrine monotherapy in hormone receptor-positive, HER2-negative advanced breast cancer: a reconstructed individual patient data meta-analysis of phase 3 randomised controlled trials.
LANCET ONCOL · Q1 JOURNAL - RANK #8/326TOP-TIER
This reconstructed individual patient data meta-analysis evaluated CDK4/6 inhibitors plus endocrine therapy versus endocrine monotherapy for hormone receptor-positive, HER2-negative advanced breast cancer, pooling data from 11 phase 3 trials (6035 patients). CDK4/6 inhibitors significantly improved progression-free survival in both endocrine-sensitive (HR 0.57, p<0.0001) and endocrine-resistant cancers (HR 0.51, p<0.0001). Overall survival was also improved in endocrine-sensitive (HR 0.83, p=0.0005) and endocrine-resistant (HR 0.77, p=0.0003) subgroups. While all agents improved PFS, only abemaciclib (HR 0.79, p=0.0031) and ribociclib (HR 0.73, p<0.0001) showed significant overall survival benefits. This study provides robust evidence supporting the use of CDK4/6 inhibitors in advanced breast cancer, guiding treatment decisions.
10.1016/S1470-2045(26)00053-7
An agentic framework for autonomous scientific discovery in cancer pathology.
NAT MED · Q1 JOURNAL - RANK #1/195TOP-TIER
This study introduces SPARK, an agentic AI framework that uses natural language to autonomously generate biologically driven analytical tools for tumor pathology without extra model training. Evaluated across 18 cohorts with over 5,400 patients spanning five cancer types, SPARK produced clinically relevant concepts correlated with prognosis, pathological variables, and predictive biomarkers, including inferred tumor progression from static images. The framework directly addresses the clinician’s interest in cancer-focused research by demonstrating applicability in lung, colorectal, breast, and oropharyngeal cancers, with evidence of prognostic and predictive value. Primary implications include potential to enhance diagnostic precision and biological insight, though prospective clinical validation is still needed before routine use.
10.1038/s41591-026-04357-y
Lymph node surgery and CDK4/6 inhibitors in early breast cancer: a pooled analysis from five randomised trials.
LANCET ONCOL · Q1 JOURNAL - RANK #8/326TOP-TIER
This pooled analysis of five randomized trials involving 19,541 patients evaluated whether omitting axillary surgery in early breast cancer impacts eligibility for adjuvant CDK4/6 inhibitors. Results showed that performing sentinel lymph node biopsy or completion axillary dissection solely for drug eligibility requires high numbers needed to diagnose and treat, such as 345 and 807 surgeries respectively to prevent one death at five years. The study highlights that while surgery provides staging data, the associated morbidity and costs outweigh the marginal overall survival benefits gained from subsequent CDK4/6 inhibition. Clinicians should consider these findings when balancing surgical de-escalation against the potential benefits of intensified systemic therapy in early-stage breast cancer management.
10.1016/S1470-2045(26)00064-1
Safety and antitumour activity of ipatasertib combined with endocrine therapy and a CDK4/6 inhibitor in HR+/HER2- metastatic breast cancer (TAKTIC): a single-centre, open-label, phase 1b trial.
LANCET ONCOL · Q1 JOURNAL - RANK #8/326TOP-TIER
This phase 1b, single-centre trial (TAKTIC) evaluated the safety and preliminary antitumour activity of ipatasertib combined with endocrine therapy (fulvestrant or AI) with or without palbociclib in 77 heavily pretreated women with HR+/HER2- metastatic breast cancer. The recommended phase 2 dose for the triple combination was established, yielding a median progression-free survival of 5.5 months (95% CI 3.8-7.4). Common grade 3-4 adverse events included neutropenia (39%), leukopenia (19%), and diarrhoea (18%). These findings demonstrate preliminary clinical activity and an expected safety profile, directly addressing the need for new strategies in advanced breast cancer and warranting further evaluation in CDK4/6 inhibitor-refractory disease.
10.1016/S1470-2045(26)00059-8
Apr 20 – Apr 27, 2026
Including tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes into the PREDICT prognostic model for triple-negative breast cancer survival.
ANN ONCOL · Q1 JOURNAL - RANK #4/326TOP-TIER
This study aimed to integrate stromal tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (sTILs) into the PREDICT prognostic model for early-stage triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) to refine chemotherapy decisions. Utilizing a Cox regression model on 3698 TNBC patients, the updated PREDICT_sTILs model demonstrated strong internal-external validity with pooled O/E ratios of 0.98 at 5 years and 0.99 at 10 years, and AUCs of 0.74. Compared to PREDICT, it identified 19-60 additional net true low-risk and 3-10 additional net true high-risk patients per 1000 chemotherapy-naïve patients. This enhancement improves chemotherapy guidance for early-stage TNBC, particularly in identifying low-risk individuals who may safely forgo treatment, directly impacting cancer management.
10.1016/j.annonc.2026.04.011