Cancer Experts Share Emerging Treatments Patients Should Know in 2026

In a rapidly evolving oncology landscape, continued innovation is transforming treatment across all cancer types. To gain insight into ongoing research and developments shaping the year ahead, we spoke with leading experts across the spectrum of oncology and asked: “What emerging research or developments should patients be aware of in the coming year?” Their perspectives reflect a shared optimism about the future of precision medicine, novel therapeutic combinations, and improved quality of life for patients.

Dr. Vanda Salutari, an oncologist in the Department of Health of Woman and Child at the Catholic University of Sacred Heart in Rome, Italy, highlighted progress in gynecologic malignancies.

In the field of breast cancer, Dr. Sara Hurvitz, senior vice president of the Clinical Research Division at Fred Hutch and head of the Division of Hematology and Oncology at the University of Washington Department of Medicine, shared her key takeaways. Joining her, Dr. Kelly McCann, a hematologist oncologist in Breast Medical Oncology at UCLA Health and a member of Dr. Dennis Slamon’s Translational Oncology Research Laboratory, shared insights into breast cancer, as well.

Expanding into genitourinary and skin cancers, Dr. Joaquim Bellmunt, director of the Bladder Cancer Center at the Genitourinary Oncology Program of Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and associate professor at Harvard Medical School, discussed advances in circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA). Meanwhile, Dr. Jessica C. Hassel, head of the Section of Dermato-Oncology at the National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT) and part of the CCC-director board at the University Hospital in Heidelberg, Germany, reflected on the melanoma treatment field.

Here is what these experts had to say about the developments poised to define the next chapter of cancer care.

Gynecologic Cancer

Salutari: For the future, we are exploring in a new protocol: the combination of Abraxane (nab-paclitaxel), relacorilant plus Avastin (bevacizumab), not only in the platinum-resistant population but also in the platinum-sensitive population. This combination is also being explored in the BELLA trial, also in the endometrial cancer population. So, the future is very bright.

Breast Cancer

Hurvitz: I think patients should first be aware of the clinical trials available to them and to make sure they're talking to their clinicians about the availability of clinical trials. The pace of progress is really hard to keep up with. We have so many targeted therapies available, and we're now in an era where we're using information about the tumor and what's going on molecularly to help design smart therapies for our patients.

McCann: In the estrogen receptor (ER)-positive/HER2-negative patient populations, we have a wealth of different oral medications that target the endocrine pathway. We will soon have data on some of the oral selective estrogen receptor degraders (SERD) combination regimens to a greater extent than just Faslodex (fulvestrant), everolimus, Verzenio (abemaciclib), and Orserdu (elacestrant). Hopefully, we can begin combining those after we have safety data.

In the HER2-positive patient populations, I have certain patients in my practice who are metastatic HER2-positive and are probably cured. As we move these highly effective drugs, such as Enhertu (fam-trastuzumab deruxtecan-nxki), from the metastatic setting to the curative setting, there will be fewer and fewer patients available for clinical trials moving forward.

In triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), the data I most want to see are from studies like the TROPiON-Breast03 trial or an equivalent trial in patients who complete chemotherapy, do not achieve a partial complete response (pCR), and receive Datroway (datopotamab deruxtecan) or Trodelvy (sacituzumab govitecan-hziy) in the adjuvant setting, so that we can cure more people. The fact that TROPiON-Breast02 showed such promising data in the first-line TNBC metastatic setting, with a strong overall response rate, makes me very excited to see what TROPiON-Breast03 will report. Hopefully, we will achieve more cures, which is the ultimate goal, more cures.

It is also important to consider toxicities because, ultimately, we want more therapies that are less toxic. As these options continue to expand, I know that, as an oncologist, my patients will have the best and least toxic experience if I am highly familiar with the drug, or if I have strong guidance from the company that developed it or from an educational perspective on how to best manage side effects. For medications such as Datroway, which may cause ocular toxicities and stomatitis, we know to monitor for pneumonitis before surgery. These precautions are incredibly important in keeping our patients safe, curing them and treating them in the metastatic setting for as long as possible while maintaining the best quality of life.

Bladder Cancer

Bellmunt: Patients need to be aware that circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) is an [interesting] concept. For example, the phase 3 IMvigor011 trial was made using [a specific ctDNA-guided] platform. This is a specific test for capturing the ctDNA using a customized platform to follow the patients, but there are other types of biopsies, we call them liquid biopsies, to monitor the ctDNA. So as mentioned, this is specific for this test, but the ctDNA is a broad concept, and there are so many platforms just to study the ctDNA.

Melanoma (Skin Cancer)

Hassel: Well, I think in the field of melanoma, the good thing is, we have lots of different things developing. Immune checkpoint blockade was the start, but it's actually pretty boring in the meantime. We have lots of new things that we could add on, or that we would have as a rescue for patients that do not benefit from immune checkpoint blockade. This, of course, includes all the cancer vaccines. Here, the question is: which one is the best? I'm convinced that changing the microenvironment is probably the best way to go.

Additionally, we have T-cell therapies in development, not only the traditional approach with tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte (TIL) therapy, which uses the lymphocytes naturally present in the tumor, but also newer approaches. There is emerging data on T-cell receptor (TCR) therapies showing very promising outcomes. We also have new antibody-drug conjugates that could be impactful. Looking ahead, the most compelling scientific question will be how to sequence these various treatments, determining which to start with, which to combine and how to optimize therapy for patients.

Transcript has been edited for clarity and conciseness.

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