PHILADELPHIA – Researchers from the Abramson Cancer Center (ACC) of the University of Pennsylvania and Penn’s Perelman School of Medicine will present data on the latest advances in cancer science and medicine at the 2025 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting taking place May 30 – June 3 in Chicago. For updates, follow Penn Medicine on LinkedIn, Threads, and X, and PennMD Forum on X.
Expert interviews
Oncology experts from Penn Medicine are available to comment on a wide range of cancer research and care topics during the meeting by video call, phone, or email. To arrange interviews, please contact Meagan Raeke at Meagan.Raeke@pennmedicine.upenn.edu or 267-693-6224.
News releases
Susan Domchek honored by ASCO for cancer prevention work
Domchek will deliver her ASCO-ACS Cancer Prevention Award Lecture, “The Long Road to Breast Cancer Risk and Genetics-Informed Precision Prevention” on Monday, June 2 at 9:45 a.m. CT in S100bc. Check back for more updates during the meeting.
Key presentations
Penn Medicine researchers will present several updates in clinical research, including new Phase I clinical trial data on CAR T cell therapy for glioblastoma, five-year follow-up data on belzutifan for von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) disease, and Phase II clinical data on immunotherapy before surgery in early-stage melanoma.
- Dual-target CAR T cell therapy for recurrent glioblastoma (Abstract 102). This phase I clinical trial tested a CAR T product that targets not one, but two proteins commonly found in brain tumors—epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and interleukin-13 receptor alpha 2 (IL13Rα2)—and is administered through an injection into the cerebrospinal fluid. Principal Investigator Stephen Bagley, MD, MSCE, an assistant professor of Hematology-Oncology, and Neurosurgery, will present the findings in a Clinical Science Symposium (Turning “Cold” Tumors “Hot”) on Sunday, June 1 at 9:45 a.m. CT in Hall D1.
- Belzutifan in von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) disease: five-year follow-up of the phase II LITEPARK-004 study (Abstract 4507). When the FDA approved the hypoxia-inducible factor-2α (HIF-2α) inhibitor belzutifan in 2021, based on the results of this multicenter phase II clinical trial, it became the first treatment for VHL. This rare, inherited disease often presents in the mid-twenties and predisposes patients to developing numerous tumors. Belzutifan was shown to slow tumor growth, helping patients delay or avoid surgery. The five-year follow-up results of the study continue to support the use of belzutifan for patients with VHL-associated kidney, pancreas, or vascular tumors. Before starting the drug, 75 percent of patients in the study had at least one tumor surgery within the last five years. Five years after starting belzutifan, only 31 percent of patients needed a VHL-related surgery. Vivek Narayan, MD, an assistant professor of Hematology-Oncology, will present the findings in an Oral Abstract Session on Sunday, June 1 at 9:45 a.m. CT in Hall D2.
- Immunotherapy before surgery in clinical stage IIB/C melanoma (Abstract 9502). Giving immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy to patients with advanced melanoma (stage III/IV) before surgery (neoadjuvant therapy) has been shown to improve outcomes. This multicenter phase II clinical trial assessed whether the same approach could improve outcomes for patients with less-advanced disease. The study looked at positivity rates of the sentinel lymph node biopsies—which would indicate disease spread—taken at the time of surgery, three weeks after a single dose of pembrolizumab. The rates did not significantly differ from expected historical rates across patients with stage IIB/C disease, though there was a significant decrease in sentinel lymph node metastasis in patients with clinical stage IIC melanoma. The neoadjuvant therapy was safe, with no new toxicities or surgery delays reported. The researchers will also evaluate long-term recurrence rates and patterns in this population after neoadjuvant treatment. Giorgos Karakousis, MD, division chief for Endocrine and Oncologic Surgery, will present the findings in an oral abstract session on Tuesday, June 3 at 9:45 a.m. CT in S100a.
Researchers from Penn Medicine’s Basser Center for BRCA, the first center dedicated to the research, treatment, and prevention of BRCA-related cancers, will present two studies in the Prevention, Risk Reduction, and Genetics Oral Abstract Session on Monday, June 2 at 11:30am CT in S100a. This research highlights the Basser Center’s comprehensive mission, from genetic testing to cancer interception.
- Digital alternatives for cancer genetic testing in patients with metastatic cancers (Abstract 10502). Genetic testing is recommended for some patients with advanced cancer. If a patient’s cancer is related to a BRCA gene mutation, it could be more successfully treated with targeted therapy. The randomized eREACH Study enrolled 229 participants and assessed strategies for incorporating a self-directed digital intervention as an alternative to traditional genetic counseling either before testing or for sharing results. A model that included one telehealth visit with a genetic counselor and the other visit by a digital intervention was no worse than two telehealth visits with a genetic counselor. The model that had both visits by digital intervention and no interaction with a genetic counselor was associated with slightly lower knowledge gain and uptake of testing but might be acceptable for some patients. Angela Bradbury, MD, a professor of Hematology-Oncology and of Medical Ethics and Health Policy, will present the findings.
- DNA based immunotherapy in cancer patients and healthy individuals with BRCA1/2 mutations (Abstract 10505). This phase Ib study tested an immunological approach for cancer interception that involves a DNA plasmid vaccine, followed by a quick electric pulse to move the vaccine into the cells, in both cancer survivors (with no evidence of disease) and healthy volunteers who carry BRCA1/2 mutations. The researchers’ definitive goal is to stop cancer at its earliest stages. This early-stage study evaluated safety and feasibility of the novel strategy in participants who have an elevated hereditary cancer risk. With all 44 participants now enrolled, the vaccine was found to be safe and feasible. The most common adverse events were injection site reactions, all of which were grade1/2. Susan Domchek, MD, executive director of the Basser Center, will present the findings.
###
Penn Medicine is one of the world’s leading academic medical centers, dedicated to the related missions of medical education, biomedical research, excellence in patient care, and community service. The organization consists of the University of Pennsylvania Health System and Penn’s Raymond and Ruth Perelman School of Medicine, founded in 1765 as the nation’s first medical school.
The Perelman School of Medicine is consistently among the nation's top recipients of funding from the National Institutes of Health, with $580 million awarded in the 2023 fiscal year. Home to a proud history of “firsts” in medicine, Penn Medicine teams have pioneered discoveries and innovations that have shaped modern medicine, including recent breakthroughs such as CAR T cell therapy for cancer and the mRNA technology used in COVID-19 vaccines.
The University of Pennsylvania Health System’s patient care facilities stretch from the Susquehanna River in Pennsylvania to the New Jersey shore. These include the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Penn Presbyterian Medical Center, Chester County Hospital, Doylestown Health, Lancaster General Health, Penn Medicine Princeton Health, and Pennsylvania Hospital—the nation’s first hospital, founded in 1751. Additional facilities and enterprises include Good Shepherd Penn Partners, Penn Medicine at Home, Lancaster Behavioral Health Hospital, and Princeton House Behavioral Health, among others.
Penn Medicine is an $11.9 billion enterprise powered by nearly 49,000 talented faculty and staff.