From May 29 to June 2, 2026, the ASCO congress brought together more than 40,000 global cancer experts in Chicago. Present alongside the leading international specialists, RespirERA institute actively participated in strategic discussions to accelerate patient access to the most effective therapeutic innovations.
ASCO 2026: the major global event in oncology
The annual congress of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) is the primary international platform for disseminating scientific advances in oncology (a medical specialty dedicated to the study and treatment of cancers). The 2026 edition brought together clinicians, researchers, industry leaders, and health authorities from around the world.
This year, the major themes highlighted:
• Precision medicine (a medical approach consisting of tailoring treatment to the biological and genetic profile of each patient).
• Predictive biomarkers and liquid biopsies.
• Artificial intelligence applied to therapeutic decision-making.
Beyond laboratory discoveries, the major challenge is now to ensure the actual deployment of these innovations directly into patient care pathways.
An international symposium to meet the challenges of personalized medicine
On the sidelines of the congress, RespirERA institute, represented by Prof. Paul Hofman, participated on May 29 in a high-level symposium organized by the International Association for Precision Medicine (IAPM), an organization uniting more than 30 countries.
This meeting connected experts from five continents around a fundamental question: how to transform breakthroughs in personalized medicine into concrete, equitable, and accessible benefits for all?
Overcoming barriers to biomarker integration
During the debates, RespirERA institute emphasized a crucial issue: the integration of predictive biomarkers (measurable biological signals used to predict response to a treatment or disease progression) right from the design of clinical trials (scientific studies conducted on patient volunteers to evaluate the safety and efficacy of a new treatment).
While these tools are essential for guiding therapies, their deployment faces several structural barriers detailed by RespirERA institute:
• The heterogeneity of clinical practices across countries
• The delays in integration into research protocols.
• The limitations of data infrastructures and disparities in access to molecular tests (biological tests analyzing the genes of cancer cells).
To address this, potential solutions were proposed, notably the standardization of care pathways and an earlier integration of these markers.
Developing liquid biopsy through global partnerships
ASCO 2026 also strengthened the close ties between the RespirERA institute and the Precision Cancer Consortium (PCC). Both organizations shared their expertise to accelerate the use of liquid biopsy (the analysis of circulating tumor DNA from a simple blood sample) in routine medical practice. This non-invasive technology represents a major lever for early diagnosis, monitoring treatment efficacy, and the rapid detection of tumor resistance.
A forward-looking momentum for respiratory health
This strategic trip ultimately helped consolidate essential collaborations for the coming years. The RespirERA institute initiated constructive discussions with future speakers for the Joint Meeting in Lung Cancer, the next edition of which will be proudly hosted by RespirERA institute in Nice in 2027.
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