Oncology

Article • Experts explore often-overlooked patient group in oncology

A rising tide: cancer in young adults

For a young adult, a cancer diagnosis hits different: a more aggressive disease course, greater disruptive potential, longer survivorship. Yet most healthcare institutions seem poorly prepared for this growing patient group. A plenary session at the NCCN 2026 Annual Conference examined a striking shift in modern oncology: the rising incidence of cancer in adolescents and young adults (AYA).

News • Prediction of treatment response

Colon and rectal cancer: new biomarker shows which patients benefit from immunotherapy

A multidisciplinary team of pathologists, oncologists and biologists has discovered a new biomarker to determine whether immunotherapy may work in people with colon and rectal cancer.

News • Open-source AI models put to the test

LLMs outperform doctors at summarizing complex cancer pathology reports

AI models can generate more complete summaries of complex cancer pathology reports than physicians, according to a new study that tested six models developed by Meta, Google, DeepSeek and Mistral AI.

News • Review on treatment outcomes

Exploring the impact of chronic stress on cancer

A new review shows that chronic stress may actively drive cancer progression. Therefore, psycho-oncology should be part of standard cancer care, the researchers argue.

News • Disease-related distress

Cancer-related anxiety: tool reveals emotional impact

Fear that their cancer will progress or worsen is one of the most common concerns among people living with this disease. A new tool aims to reliably measure patients’ anxiety about their cancer.

News • Study explores cost of survival

Women more likely to survive cancer but suffer more severe side effects

Women are more likely to survive cancer than men but face a higher risk of serious and adverse side effects from treatment, according to a new international study.

News • Unexpected similarities

Different tumours, same origin: Surprising discovery in paediatric brain cancers

Researchers discovered that pineoblastoma, retinoblastoma and medulloblastoma – severe brain tumours in children that appear to be completely different – actually arise from the same type of cell.

Article • Equity, access, and the future of radiotherapy

Radiation oncology: the beam widens

Radiation oncology is a field in remarkable transformation: a deepening global shortage of trained practitioners, persistent inequities in access to treatment – and, on the other side of the ledger, a new generation of technologies, from AI-driven adaptive planning to photon-counting CT, that are expanding what the field can do in ways previously unimaginable. At this year’s World Health Expo…

Article • From ablation to neuromodulation

The new era of functional radiosurgery

Functional brain radiosurgery is an application of stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS), representing its newest clinical field. It is a precise, non-invasive medical technique using focused ionising radiation to precisely target specific brain structures to modulate brain function for neurological disorders, psychiatric conditions, or intractable pain. The technology offers “precision without…

News • Treatment approach

How to improve cancer cure rates? “Kick it while it’s down”

Although tumours may at first shrink under therapy, they often regrow or even become resistant. A new study suggests switching to a second treatment while the tumour is still responding to the first.

News • Cancer “chronotherapy”

Beating cancer by the clock: Why the time of day matters for radiotherapy

Radiotherapy is more effective when administered at the right time of day, according to new research. This discovery opens the door to cancer “chronotherapy”, the researchers hope.

Article • Digital pathology and AI

Finding new biomarkers to match the biological complexity of cancer

Advances in artificial intelligence and multimodal data integration are poised to revolutionise cancer diagnostics – but significant challenges remain before these technologies can be routinely deployed in clinical practice. Professor Manuel Salto-Tellez outlined the steps needed to bridge the gap between complex tumour biology and the relatively simple biomarkers currently available, speaking…

Article • From observation to action

The rise of agentic AI in pathology

Computational pathology is becoming increasingly important in helping deliver precision medicine to a wider range of patients. Experts at the 37th European Congress of Pathology in Vienna discussed how algorithms can optimise laboratory workflows, generate stronger evidence for molecular tumour boards, and enhance clinical trial design.

News • PRO in oncology

Giving patients a voice: How self-reported data improves cancer treatment

Integrating the patient’s voice: A new study shows access to patient-reported outcome (PRO) data improves the consistency of the evaluation of treatment-related side effects in patients with cancer.

News • Anthracycline cardiotoxicity

Common chemo drug increases risk of heart damage, study finds

A widely used chemotherapy drugs used in cancer treatments can cause heart damage, new research shows. This could be used to adapt treatment regimens - especially in patients with high blood pressure.

News • Phase III trial

Proton therapy shows survival benefit for patients with head and neck cancers

A new study shows a significant survival benefit for patients with oropharyngeal cancers treated with proton therapy (IMPT) compared to those treated with traditional radiation therapy (IMRT).

News • Prevalence, changes and associated factors

How to reduce the risk of head and neck lymphedema after radiotherapy

Researchers have discovered that low physical activity is associated with a higher risk of lymphedema. They have also noted that a lymph scanner objectively measures changes in the condition.

News • Adaptive re-planning

Repurposed radiotherapy scans to guide prostate cancer treatment

Radiotherapy is effective against prostate cancer but can cause side effects. Using AI, scientists found that images originally taken to help position patients could also predict rectal bleeding.

News • Differentiation after radiotherapy

Brain tumour or radiation necrosis? AI can tell them apart

A novel AI-based method can distinguish between progressive brain tumours and radiotherapy-induced necrosis on advanced MRI. This could help clinicians more accurately identify and treat the issues.

News • CAR-T and BITEs

At-home monitoring safely cuts hospital time after T-cell redirecting therapy

After T-cell redirecting therapies, patients are typically hospitalized for several days to watch for side effects. New research shows that these patients can safely be monitored at home.

News • Malignant melanoma

Immunotherapy for skin cancer: when less is more

New immunotherapies are effective against skin cancer, but they can cause serious side effects. New insights suggest that a lower dosage may lead to better outcomes and longer survival.

News • Insights on IDH mutated gliomas

Brain cancer: why early treatment is not always the best course

IDH mutated gliomas are slow-growing brain tumors with a relatively good prognosis. A new study shows that many patients reveal measurable cognitive impairment in the first year after treatment.

News • Dual-barrier tumours

How colorectal cancer evades immunotherapy (and what to do about it)

Most patients with metastatic colorectal cancer do not respond to immunotherapy—but why? A new study shows how the tumours block the immune system through two complementary mechanisms.

News • Targeted drug activation

Ultrasound-triggered chemotherapy to reduce side-effects

Researchers explore how ultrasound waves can be used to activate chemotherapy drugs only in targeted areas, offering a new path toward safer, more effective cancer treatment.

Article • Hengrui Pharma charts its global strategy at ESMO

Meet the Chinese company advancing European oncology

Hengrui, one of China's leading pharmaceutical companies, is preparing to bring its cancer therapies to international markets. At the ESMO congress in Berlin, Yuting (Shelley) Liu, Head of China Business Development and Strategy of Hengrui Pharma, shared insights into how the company is translating decades of Chinese market experience into a global oncology strategy.

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