BOSTON, October 12, 2025 – Dana-Farber Cancer Institute researchers are leading four studies with important new findings in breast cancer, lung cancer, and bladder cancer at the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) Congress 2025 in Berlin, Germany. The studies will be presented both in-person and online from October 17 to October 21. A full list of Dana-Farber Presentations at ESMO 2025 is available here: Dana-Farber Presentations at ESMO 2025
Dana-Farber investigators will also present clinical trial results that report improved quality of life for metastatic breast cancer patients; new approaches, based on early investigations, to using blood tests to guide the treatment of kidney cancer; and new ways to analyze real-world data with artificial intelligence.
The ESMO Congress is one of the largest cancer research meetings, bringing together clinicians, researchers, patient advocates, journalists and healthcare industry representatives from all over the world. Dr. Toni Choueiri , director of the Lank Center for Genitourinary Oncology at Dana-Farber, serves as Scientific Co-Chair of the ESMO Congress.
Dana-Farber Highlights at ESMO 2025
Dr. Pasi A. Jänne , senior vice president for Translational Medicine at Dana-Farber, will present LBA77 - "FLAURA2: Exploratory overall survival analysis in patients with poorer prognostic factors treated with osimertinib +/- platinum-pemetrexed chemotherapy as first-line treatment for EGFR-mutated advanced NSCLC," in the Proffered paper session: NSCLC on Friday, October 17, at 10:56am ET (16:56 CEST).
Dr. Erica Mayer , director of Breast Cancer Clinical Research in the Division of Breast Oncology at Dana-Farber, will present LBA16 – "Giredestrant, an oral selective estrogen receptor antagonist and degrader, + everolimus in patients with ER-positive, HER2-negative advanced breast cancer previously treated with a CDK4/6 inhibitor: Primary results of the Phase III evERA BC trial," in the Proffered paper session 1: Breast cancer, metastatic on Saturday, October 18, at 4:15am ET (10:15 CEST).
Dr. Sara Tolaney, chief of the Division of Breast Oncology at Dana-Farber, is senior author of LBA20 - "Primary Results from ASCENT-03: A randomized phase 3 study of sacituzumab govitecan vs chemotherapy in patients with previously untreated advanced triple-negative breast cancer who are unable to receive PD-(L)1 inhibitors," in the Proffered paper session 2: Breast cancer, metastatic on Sunday, October 19, at 3:15am ET (9:15 CEST).
Dr. Catherine Wu , chief of the Division of Stem Cell Transplantation and Cellular Therapies , will give a keynote lecture titled, "Therapeutic cancer vaccines: Clinical perspectives," on Sunday, October 19, at 6:00am ET (12:00 CEST).
Dr. Joaquim Bellmunt , director of the Bladder Cancer Center at Dana-Farber, is co-senior author of LBA8 - "IMvigor011: A Phase 3 trial of circulating tumour DNA-guided adjuvant atezolizumab vs placebo in muscle-invasive bladder cancer," in the Presidential Symposium 3 on Monday, October 20, at 10:30am ET (16:30 CEST).
Findings Point to Improved Quality of Life for Breast Cancer Patients
Patient reported data supports SERENA-6 treatment approach to optimize and improve outcomes for patients with advanced breast cancer
Dr. Erica Mayer will present patient-reported outcomes from the SERENA-6 trial. The SERENA-6 treatment approach evaluated switching to the oral SERD camizestrant from first-line aromatase inhibitor, with continuation of CDK4/6 inhibitor, at time of detection of an ESR1 mutation and ahead of clinical progression, in patients with hormone receptor positive, HER2-negative advanced breast cancer. In previously reported data, the approach showed significant and clinically meaningful improvement in progression-free survival compared to continued treatment with an aromatase inhibitor and CDK4/6 inhibitor.
Patient-reported outcomes were also collected during the trial at pre-specified time-points to assess quality of life, cancer-related symptoms, and physical functioning. Mayer will report findings that the SERENA-6 treatment approach significantly reduced the risk of deterioration of global health status/quality of life compared to staying on aromatase inhibitor and CDK4/6 inhibitor. Further, switching to camizestrant with continuation of CDK4/6 inhibitor consistently delayed time to deterioration in a spectrum of patient-reported cancer symptoms, as well as in daily patient functioning. Overall, these findings continue to support the SERENA-6 treatment approach for patients with hormone receptor positive HER2 negative advanced breast cancer.
- Study Title: Patient-reported outcomes from the SERENA-6 trial of camizestrant + CDK4/6 inhibitor for emergent ESR1m during first-line (1L) endocrine-based therapy and ahead of disease progression in patients with HR+/HER2= advanced breast cancer (486MO)
- Mini Oral Session: Breast cancer, metastatic on Monday, October 20, at 4:25am ET (10:25 CEST).
Early Research Supports Future Investigations in Kidney Cancer Treatment and Real-World Data Analyses of Metastatic Breast Cancer Treatment
Dr. Wenxin (Vincent) Xu, a genitourinary oncologist at Dana-Farber, will present data suggesting that a blood test that measures levels of a biomarker called KIM-1 could help assess the burden of disease among patients with advanced kidney cancer, predict outcomes during first-line treatment, and potentially help guide treatment decisions. The findings are based on a retrospective analysis of data from the COSMIC-313 trial and can help to inform the design of future trials.
- Study Title: Association of circulating kidney injury molecule-1 (KIM-1) levels with clinical outcomes in advanced renal cell carcinoma: Retrospective analysis of COSMIC-313 (2594MO)
- Mini Oral Session 2: GU tumours, renal & urothelial on Sunday, October 19, at 2:35am ET (8:35 CEST).
Dr. Eddy Saad, a postdoctoral fellow at Dana-Farber, will present an evaluation of approaches to generating synthetic real-world data based on a cohort of 19,164 patients with metastatic breast cancer. Synthetic real-world data is created using artificial intelligence (AI) techniques to mimic patients in the real world. It could be used to evaluate treatments, uncover personalized treatment approaches, and protect patient privacy.
- Study Title: AI-generated synthetic cohorts for accelerated clinical trial design and collaboration: Data from 19,000 Patients with metastatic breast cancer (3136O)
- Proffered Paper Session: AI & Digital Oncology on Monday, October 20, at 2:35am ET (17:20 CEST).
About Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute is one of the world's leading centers of cancer research and treatment. Dana-Farber's mission is to reduce the burden of cancer through scientific inquiry, clinical care, education, community engagement and advocacy. Dana-Farber is a federally designated Comprehensive Cancer Center and a teaching affiliate of Harvard Medical School.
Dana-Farber is the only hospital nationwide with a top 3 U.S. News & World Report Best Cancer Hospital ranking in both adult and pediatric care.
As a global leader in oncology, Dana-Farber is dedicated to a unique and equal balance between cancer research and care, translating the results of discovery into new treatments for patients locally and around the world, offering more than 1,200 clinical trials.
