The European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) conference, concluding on Tuesday in Barcelona, has unveiled a series of groundbreaking advancements in cancer treatment, from innovative treatment combinations to the use of artificial intelligence for personalized medicine. The five-day event attracted 30,000 specialists and researchers from around the globe.
– BREASTFEEDING AFTER CANCER – Two international studies presented at the conference have found that women who breastfeed after undergoing breast cancer treatment do not face a higher risk of cancer recurrence or new tumors. This finding holds true even for women with the BRCA genetic mutation, which increases the risk of breast cancer. The studies address previous concerns that pregnancy and breastfeeding could impact hormone levels and cancer risk. Fedro Alessandro Peccatori from the European Institute of Oncology in Milan emphasized the importance of these results for women wishing to become pregnant and breastfeed after breast cancer.
– NEW COMBINATION FOR LUNG CANCER – A promising phase two trial has revealed that a new combination of two immunotherapies and chemotherapy shows significant potential against metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). This type of lung cancer spreads to other body parts, and the trial aimed at a second immune system target to improve response rates, or the number of patients experiencing tumor shrinkage. Nicolas Girard from France’s Curie Institute highlighted the potential benefits of this combined approach.
– RARE PREGNANCY-LINKED CANCER – Another significant breakthrough was reported for a rare form of pregnancy-related cancer that develops in the placenta, occurring in approximately one in 10,000 pregnancies. The combination of immunotherapy and chemotherapy yielded excellent results against this rare cancer type.