At the world's largest cancer research conference next May, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute researchers will unveil findings that could reshape how doctors treat some of the most aggressive cancers—pancreatic, prostate, and triple-negative breast cancer among them. More than 75 studies from Dana-Farber-affiliated investigators will be presented at the 2026 ASCO Annual Meeting in Chicago, a gathering that draws over 40,000 oncology professionals from around the globe.
The real headline comes from the Plenary Program, where two studies with potentially practice-changing results will take center stage on Sunday, May 31. Dr. Brian Wolpin, director of the Hale Family Center for Pancreatic Cancer Research, will present results from the phase 3 RASolute 302 trial, testing daraxonrasib—a novel RAS inhibitor—against chemotherapy in patients with previously treated metastatic pancreatic adenocarcinoma. Meanwhile, Dr. Mary-Ellen Taplin, chair of the Executive Committee for Clinical Research at Dana-Farber, will present the final analysis of the PROTEUS trial, which studied perioperative apalutamide combined with hormone therapy versus standard care alone for men with high-risk localized prostate cancer.
Beyond these plenary presentations, Dana-Farber researchers are bringing late-breaking data that signals progress in other stubborn cancers. Dr. Sara Tolaney, chief of Breast Oncology, is the senior author on ASCENT-04, which examined sacituzumab govitecan plus pembrolizumab versus chemotherapy plus pembrolizumab in patients with previously untreated PD-L1+ metastatic triple-negative breast cancer. Dr. Paul Richardson, director of clinical research for the Jerome Lipper Multiple Myeloma Center, will present results from the SUCCESSOR 2 trial testing mezigdomide combined with carfilzomib and dexamethasone in relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma.
Perhaps most intriguing is the work on rare gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST). Dr. Andrew Wagner will present findings from the phase 3 PEAK study showing that combining two KIT inhibitors—bezuclastinib and sunitinib—outperformed sunitinib alone. In the 413-patient trial, the combination reduced the risk of progression or death by 50 percent. The overall response rate jumped from 26 percent with single-drug therapy to 46 percent with the combination. This matters because GISTs, while rare, arise anywhere in the gastrointestinal tract and develop resistance to standard KIT inhibitors through secondary mutations; bezuclastinib is designed specifically to overcome those resistance mechanisms.
The research spans multiple tumor types because cancer is not one disease but many, each with distinct biology. Dana-Farber's breadth here—presenting studies in pancreatic, prostate, breast, multiple myeloma, brain tumors, sarcoma, and GIST—reflects the institute's commitment to advancing treatment across the entire oncology landscape. The fact that two studies earned spots in the plenary program, where only the most compelling research is selected, underscores the potential significance of this year's findings.
These presentations come at a moment when immunotherapy, targeted kinase inhibitors, and combination approaches are reshaping cancer care. The ASCO meeting, running May 29 to June 2 in Chicago, will serve as the global stage where these advances are unveiled to the oncology community, likely influencing treatment decisions for patients worldwide in the months and years ahead.