By Peter J. O’Dwyer, MD (left)
and Mitchell D. Schnall, MD, PhD

As new treatment options continue to transform cancer care, our Group remains committed to generating the evidence needed to guide clinical decision-making. A recent example is the launch of the RxFINE-Low (EA1242) trial, a landmark study designed to answer an important question in the treatment of high-risk early-stage ER-positive, HER2-negative breast cancer: can some patients forgo chemotherapy in the era of CDK4/6 inhibitors? Trial participants will be randomized 1:1 to receive either the current approach of adjuvant chemotherapy followed by endocrine therapy plus a CDK4/6 inhibitor (ribociclib) or endocrine therapy plus ribociclib alone. The primary endpoint is invasive breast cancer-free survival. By evaluating whether treatment decisions can be guided more by tumor biology than anatomic features alone, this study has the potential to refine the standard of care and reduce unnecessary treatment for many patients.

As precision medicine continues to evolve, ensuring that patients have access to genomic testing is more important than ever. A recent analysis provides cause for concern. Kang and colleagues from Georgetown (Kang SY. JAMA Netw Open. July 2026) analyzed Medicare data from 2016 through 2023, spanning national coverage determinations issued in 2018 and 2020, to assess uptake of genomic testing in older adults. Among a set of 391,000 patient records representing five cancer types, overall genomic testing increased from 6% in 2016 to 16.7% in 2023, but next-generation sequencing (NGS) use was only 2%. Even in lung cancer, where detection of targetable alterations has substantial therapeutic consequence, only 23% of patients had genomic testing, and just 9% received NGS. Whether these data reflect the broader population is unclear, and there may be a relationship between these percentages and patient age. In addition, a highly variable co-pay landscape may be a concern for both patients and providers. Nonetheless these numbers are unacceptably low, no matter how you slice them, and action is needed.

This time of year, as summer winds down, planning for our Fall Group Meeting shifts into high gear. This year's meeting will take place in Philadelphia from Tuesday, October 20−Thursday, October 22. Please mark your calendars for our two plenary sessions. One scheduling change to note: the General Session has moved from its traditional late afternoon/evening time slot and will now be held on Wednesday morning.

• Comis Translational Science Symposium: Tuesday, October 20, 12:00-2:00 PM
• General Session: Wednesday, October 21, 9:00-11:00 AM

As always, the Comis Symposium will provide a focused exploration of an area of significant scientific opportunity. This meeting’s theme is: Inflammation as a Shared Mechanism Across Diseases. The General Session will feature a keynote presentation from Robert Gray, PhD, as well as discussions on high-priority issues in cancer research, along with previews of presentations slated for upcoming national meetings. The Wednesday evening reception will once again be held at Philadelphia's historic Reading Terminal Market, offering attendees an opportunity to connect with colleagues in a relaxed and iconic setting. Against the backdrop of the nation's 250th anniversary, Philadelphia's rich history provides a fitting setting for conversations about innovation, progress, and the future of cancer research.

Read the August 2026 issue here.