Trial Results: ECOG-ACRIN research round-up – Summer 2025

Our researchers presented several exciting discoveries at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting in Chicago from May 30 - June 3, 2025. Below, we highlight the key research takeaways. We also showcase a unique trial for young cancer survivors.

This research was funded by the National Cancer Institute, one of the National Institutes of Health. Click on the links for more information.

Breast Cancer – A less intense, reduced chemotherapy approach shows promise

• Patients diagnosed with early-stage HER2-positive breast cancer usually begin treatment with multi-agent chemotherapy in combination with targeted drugs that block the HER2 protein in cancer cells. They then have surgery and more chemotherapy. The CompassHER2-pCR (EA1181) trial is exploring whether some patients can safely be treated with less chemotherapy than is generally used. At ASCO, trial leader Nadine M. Tung of Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center/Dana-Farber Cancer Institute discussed what she and her team have learned from the trial so far. The primary endpoint is 3-year recurrence-free survival, which requires longer follow-up. Link to the press release and Abstract 501.

Melanoma – Dual drug combination boosts the immune system and shrinks tumors

• Patients diagnosed with melanoma that has spread to the nearby lymph nodes may do better with a combination of two drugs instead of just one, which is the current standard. A small clinical trial (EA6194) studied pre-surgery treatment with the targeted drug vidutolimod (vye-doo-TOL-i-mod) and pembrolizumab (pem-broh-LIH-zoo-mab), a type of immunotherapy. Trial leader Ahmad A. Tarhini from the Moffitt Cancer Center reported positive results, indicating the combination can stimulate the body’s immune system to fight cancer while shrinking tumors. This makes surgery easier and possibly lowers the risk of cancer coming back. A phase 3 trial is needed to study these promising results in a larger patient population. Link to Abstract LBA9505. 

NCI-MATCH – Exploring blood-based tumor testing

• Two studies presented at ASCO reveal new genomic insights from the NCI-MATCH precision medicine clinical trial. Both explored the use of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) testing, which can detect DNA fragments released into the bloodstream by dying tumor cells. This blood-based method may offer a more sensitive and less invasive approach to identifying tumor gene mutations compared to current techniques that require patients to undergo a biopsy. The studies draw from the NCI-MATCH biospecimen bank, which contains tumor and blood samples from nearly 6,000 trial participants with various types of advanced cancers, including both common and rare types. Link to Abstract 3006 and Abstract 2557.

Prostate Cancer – Predicting chemotherapy benefit through artificial intelligence

• The CHAARTED (E3805) trial proved that many patients with metastatic prostate cancer live longer after receiving docetaxel chemotherapy along with standard androgen deprivation therapy (ADT). Now, artificial intelligence (AI) adds another research breakthrough for these patients. An AI tool developed by Sebastian R. Medina, MSc, from the Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University, can predict chemotherapy benefit from tumor biopsy images. Briefly, the AI method measures the volume of cancer present. When applied to the CHAARTED trial, AI identified the subset of trial participants with lower-volume disease who lived longer without cancer progression after receiving docetaxel with ADT. With validation now complete, this AI method is ready for assessing the benefits of other prostate cancer treatments. Link to Abstract 1560. 

Survivorship – Risks of young survivors getting sick and dying after cancer treatment

• Adolescents and young adults (AYAs) face unique challenges that can impact their health after treatment for cancer. The EAQ211 trial is enrolling 2000 survivors who were 15-39 years old when diagnosed, to collect blood samples and gather health information. The goal is to study how social conditions and genetic factors increase the risk of illness and mortality after cancer treatment. At ASCO, trial leader Brad J. Zebrack from the University of Michigan discussed the trial—the first of its kind—and how it aims to improve care for AYA cancer survivors in the future. Link to Abstract TPS1213.