ASCO 2026 Annual Meeting: New Research, Real Impact
The American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting is the largest cancer conference in the world, bringing together more than 44,000 clinicians, researchers, industry partners, and advocates.
PCF Chief Medical Officer Dr. Phillip Koo and urologic oncologist Dr. Zachary Klaassen break down some of the latest advances in treatment for localized prostate cancer, advanced disease, and survivorship.
This video discusses emerging research, including treatments that are not yet FDA-approved or standard of care. Please talk to your doctor about how these findings may apply to you.
Localized prostate cancer
1. Proton radiation therapy has similar cancer control compared to conventional (photon). The COMPPARE study compared regular (photon) radiation to newer proton therapy in over 2,500 patients with prostate cancer. The two treatments worked equally well for cancer control, and using a “rectal spacer” device reduced side effects with both types.
High-risk localized prostate cancer
2. Giving apalutamide before and after surgery improves cancer control. The large, Phase 3 PROTEUS trialadded the drug apalutamide to hormone therapy around the time of surgery in 2100 men with high-risk prostate cancer. Adding apalutamide led to a 20% lower risk of the cancer spreading, and longer time to needing another treatment, compared to surgery and hormone therapy alone.
Metastatic hormone-sensitive disease
3. Pausing hormone therapy may be safe for some patients, though more & larger studies are needed. In men with metastatic prostate cancer that responded well to combination therapy (ADT + a newer hormonal agent), this small study tested whether treatment could be safely paused. After 2 years, nearly 40% of patients stayed off treatment without their cancer getting worse.
4. A tumor test can personalize the decision to start chemotherapy. This study used a genomic test called Decipher on patients from an older hormone-therapy trial (ENZAMET) to see who benefits most from adding chemotherapy. Patients with higher-risk Decipher scores benefited more from adding chemotherapy, suggesting the test could help personalize treatment decisions.
5. Benefit of talazoparib shows importance of germline genetic and somatic testing. The Phase 3 TALAPRO-3 trial tested adding the drug talazoparib to enzalutamide in patients with metastatic prostate cancer who also have changes in specific genes involved in DNA repair (like BRCA). The combination lowered the risk of the cancer worsening on scans by 52% compared to enzalutamide alone, with the strongest benefit in patients with BRCA alterations.
Metastatic hormone-resistant disease
6. Promising responses in an early phase trial of Actinium-225-PSMA-617. The Phase 1 AcTION study tested a new treatment that delivers radiation directly to prostate cancer cells. Patients had advanced disease that no longer responds to standard treatments. The treatment was generally well-tolerated (mainly causing dry mouth and mild anemia) and shrank PSA levels in 60–80% of patients.
7. CHAMP trial aims to help patients with advanced cancer live longer. This small study combined two chemotherapy drugs with two immunotherapy drugs in patients with neuroendocrine prostate cancer, an aggressive, late-stage form of disease. The combination kept cancer from progressing for 6 months in 74% of patients (versus about 55% historically). On average, patients lived an additional 12 months.
Survivorship
8. Darolutamide is linked to less decline in memory and ability to plan complex tasks. The PCF-funded ARACOG study compared two similar hormone-blocking drugs, darolutamide and enzalutamide, to see which had a smaller effect on memory and thinking skills. Darolutamide caused less impact on cognitive function than enzalutamide, likely because it doesn’t cross into the brain as easily.