ICYMI: Highlights From ESMO 2024

The top content from the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) 2024 Congress featured studies on patient outcomes, improved quality of life, and artificial intelligence (AI).

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Here are the top 5 most-viewed content items from ESMO in 2024. Access all our ESMO coverage here.

5. Positive KEYNOTE-522 Overall Survival Results in TNBC

Peter Schmid, MD, PhD, FRCP, lead at the Centre of Experimental Cancer Medicine and director of the Barts Breast Cancer Institute in London, discussed the findings during a presidential symposium on practice-changing medicine. The first overall survival analysis of the KEYNOTE-522 trial demonstrated that neoadjuvant pembrolizumab plus chemotherapy followed by adjuvant pembrolizumab significantly improved overall survival compared with neoadjuvant chemotherapy alone in high-risk early-stage triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC).

Watch the interview.

4. Addressing Disparities in Long-Term Survivorship and Quality of Life for Young Patients With Breast Cancer

Ann H. Partridge, MD, MPH, discussed the disparities in long-term survivorship and quality of life among young breast cancer patients, noting that while many breast cancer patients survive long-term, younger patients, particularly those under 60 years, face higher risks of recurrence and mortality. She highlighted that these younger patients also experience worse quality of life, impacted by factors like comorbidities and socioeconomic challenges.

Read the article.

3. Neoadjuvant Immunotherapy Superior to Targeted Therapy in Stage III Melanoma

Georgina Long AO, PhD, MBBS, BSc, FRACP, FAHMS, co–medical director of Melanoma Institute Australia, presented new data showing that neoadjuvant immunotherapy for resectable stage IIIB or greater melanoma provides long-lasting benefits, especially for patients who achieve a major pathological response, defined as a complete or near-complete response. The results showed a significant improvement in 5-year relapse-free survival over the past decade.

Read the article.

2. Evolving Trends in AI: Ensuring Safe and Accurate AI Use in Oncology Care

Amy Abernethy, MD, cofounder of Highlander Health, discussed the rapid advancements in AI for cancer care, emphasizing the challenge of scaling these tools while ensuring their safety and effectiveness. While the number of AI algorithms achieving regulatory clearance has increased significantly, Abernethy highlighted the need for thorough evaluation, particularly in local clinical settings, as algorithms become more complex and integrated with genomics.

Read the article.

1. CAR T Reduces All-Cause Mortality Greater Than a Bispecific Antibody in MM

Junmin Song, MD, resident physician in internal medicine, Jacobi Medical Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, compared the effectiveness of emerging B-cell maturation antigen–targeted therapies for multiple myeloma, focusing on 2 chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapies (idecabtagene vicleucel and ciltacabtagene autoleucel) and the bispecific antibody teclistamab. Using real-world data, Song found that patients treated with CAR T-cell therapies had improved overall survival compared with those receiving teclistamab, although CAR T-cell therapies were associated with a higher risk of cytokine release syndrome.

Read the article.