KCSG Presents New Evidence for Biliary Tract and Colorectal Cancer Treatments at ASCO 2026

Spotlight on Trends in Next-Generation Immunotherapies, RAS-Targeted Therapies, and ADC Development

The Korean Association for Cancer Chemotherapy Research (KCSG) unveiled the achievements of domestic multi-center clinical studies and discussed the direction of global anticancer therapy development at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting 2026. Research results led by Korean investigators—including studies on HER2-positive biliary tract cancer, primary central nervous system lymphoma, and colorectal cancer treatment strategies—were presented, demonstrating research capabilities that address unmet needs in actual clinical practice.

On June 18, KCSG announced that it had analyzed the major research outcomes presented by Korean investigators at ASCO 2026, which was held in Chicago, USA, from May 29 to June 2, and provided insights into changes in cancer treatment paradigms.

Professor Chungkeun Lee of Yonsei Cancer Hospital is presenting at the 2026 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO). Korean Association for Cancer Chemotherapy Research

This year’s ASCO featured not only domestic multi-center studies led by KCSG but also introduced global trends in anticancer drug development, including next-generation immunotherapies, RAS-targeted therapies, and antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs).

One of the most noteworthy studies was the ‘KCSG HERBOT’ study presented by Professor Chungkeun Lee of Yonsei Cancer Hospital. The research team evaluated the feasibility of a four-drug combination therapy—trastuzumab, nivolumab, gemcitabine, and cisplatin—as a first-line treatment for HER2-positive advanced biliary tract cancer. The study is significant in that it provided evidence for the application of HER2-targeted therapy from the initial treatment stage in HER2-positive biliary tract cancer.

In the field of relapsed or refractory primary central nervous system lymphoma, domestic research outcomes were also announced. The ‘KCSG LY22-07’ study evaluated the combination therapy of tislelizumab and pemetrexed, suggesting a new treatment strategy for patients with limited therapeutic options. In addition, the study confirmed the potential for precision medicine by analyzing biomarkers using circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA).

In the colorectal cancer field, studies were presented regarding treatment sequencing and patient selection strategies. The ‘KCSG CO21-21’ study analyzed the efficacy of aflibercept combined with FOLFIRI as a second-line treatment for metastatic colorectal cancer, while the ‘CO24-03’ study assessed the role of adjuvant chemotherapy in high-risk stage II MSI-H/dMMR colon cancer. The ‘CLAUDIA’ study suggested the potential use of post-surgery ctDNA-based minimal residual disease (MRD) assessment as a predictive marker for recurrence risk.

In global research, it was confirmed that cancer treatment technologies are evolving toward precision therapies tailored to individual tumor characteristics. In particular, the phase 3 study of the oral RAS inhibitor darasorenib for pancreatic cancer demonstrated the potential for new targeted therapies in the field of difficult-to-treat cancers.

In the field of antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs), the expansion to new targets beyond existing HER2 and TROP2 was highlighted. HER2-targeted ADCs broadened treatment possibilities in cancers such as colorectal and gastric cancer, while the development of new target ADCs, including those against CD56 and B7-H3, is ongoing, drawing attention as next-generation anticancer platforms.

An Jinseok, President of the Korean Association for Cancer Chemotherapy Research, stated, “ASCO 2026 was an opportunity to demonstrate that domestic researchers can turn the unmet needs encountered in real-world clinical practice into research questions and provide internationally shareable evidence. We will continue to establish necessary treatment evidence for domestic patients through investigator-initiated multi-center clinical trials and contribute to the advancement of precision medicine-based cancer therapy.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.