ASCO Daily News

What Lung Cancer Abstracts Stood Out at ASCO25?

Jun 25, 2025
Dr. Nate Pennell, co-director of the Cleveland Clinic Lung Cancer Program, shares insights on revolutionary lung cancer treatments. They discuss groundbreaking findings on the timing of immunotherapy, revealing that administering treatment in the morning may boost survival rates. The conversation transitions to innovative use of ctDNA for personalized immunotherapy, and they delve into promising results from neoadjuvant treatments, emphasizing advancements in overall survival. Additionally, they touch on the challenges faced in gaining FDA approvals for new therapies.
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INSIGHT

Time Of Day Strongly Affects Immunotherapy Outcomes

  • A randomized trial showed giving chemoimmunotherapy earlier in the day dramatically improved PFS and OS versus later administration.
  • The time-of-day effect reproduced prior retrospective findings with HR ~0.43 and higher response rates in morning-treated patients.
ADVICE

Prefer Morning Slots For Immunotherapy When Feasible

  • If scheduling is possible, prefer morning immunotherapy appointments for patients receiving chemoimmunotherapy.
  • The speakers suggested it is reasonable to offer earlier slots while awaiting confirmatory studies.
INSIGHT

cfDNA Guides Early Escalation Or De‑escalation

  • Plasma ctDNA after two cycles can identify PD-L1 positive patients who need early treatment intensification.
  • Using cfDNA response allowed sparing chemotherapy in ~82.5% while rescuing nonresponders with early platinum doublet.
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