Top 10 GI Oncology Updates: Oncology News/ March 2026
- ESOPEC Trial (Oesophagal Cancer)
Neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy may have underperformed due to radiotherapy quality issues (e.g., lymphopenia). Do not abandon the CROSS approach yet—patient selection remains key.
- ORCHESTRA Trial (Metastatic CRC)
Adding tumour debulking to chemotherapy in multiorgan metastatic CRC does not improve outcomes → systemic therapy remains the mainstay.
- Rare Pancreatic Cancer – Targeted Therapy
Molecular profiling of rare subtypes is opening new precision treatment pathways, highlighting heterogeneity in pancreatic cancer.
- Federated Learning in Rare Tumours
Global collaboration without sharing patient data is now possible → enables large-scale research in rare cancers with privacy preserved.
- PERISCOPE II Trial (Gastric Cancer)
CRS + HIPEC does not improve survival in gastric cancer with peritoneal spread and increases toxicity → systemic therapy remains standard.
- AI-Based Treatment Selection (PDAC)
AI models can personalise second-line therapy →
FOLFIRINOX for fit patients
Nal-IRI + 5FU for selected subgroups
- BBOpCo Trial (MSS Colorectal Cancer)
First signal that immunotherapy may work in MSS CRC → opens door for biomarkers and combination strategies.
- Organoids in Oncology
Patient-derived organoids may reduce drug failure rates and improve personalised therapy → future of translational oncology.
- FLOT + Durvalumab (Gastroesophageal Cancer)
Now approved → new perioperative standard, aiming to improve cure rates.
- Aspirin in PIK3CA-Mutated CRC
Adjuvant aspirin shows DFS benefit in selected patients → strong move toward biomarker-driven therapy.
