S14 Ep6: Advances in ctDNA Testing Guide Clinical Decision-Making in GI Cancer Management: With Scott Kopetz, MD, PhD, FACP

In this podcast, experts Aditya Bardia, MD, MPH, FASCO; and Erika P. Hamilton, MD, discuss recent efficacy and safety data of TROP2-targeted antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) plus immune checkpoint inhibitor combinations for advanced triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC).

In this podcast, experts Filipa Lynce, MD, and Rita Nanda, MD, discuss unmet needs in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) and the rationale for using TROP2-targeting antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) in this disease.

In today’s episode, we had the pleasure of speaking with John N. Allan, MD, and Melissa Rubianes about factors that influence treatment decision-making in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). Allan is an associate professor of clinical medicine and a member of the lymphoma faculty in the Division of Hematology and Medical Oncology, as well as a member of the CLL Research Center at Weill Cornell Medicine in New York, New York. Rubianes is a hematology/oncology physician assistant (PA) at Weill Cornell.  In our exclusive interview, Allan and Rubianes discussed best practices for oncologists and PAs when it comes to collaborating with each other to make treatment decisions for patients with CLL, disease factors and patient characteristics that affect their treatment sequencing decisions, ongoing studies and emerging therapies for CLL that they're excited to see, and more. 

In today’s episode, we had the pleasure of speaking with Balazs Halmos, MD, MS, about the phase 2 VISION trial (NCT02864992) evaluating tepotinib (Tepmetko) in patients with MET exon 14 skipping mutation–positive non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Dr Halmos is a professor in the Department of Oncology (Medical Oncology) and the Department of Medicine (Oncology and Hematology), director of Thoracic Oncology, and associate director of Clinical Science at Montefiore Einstein Comprehensive Cancer Center in Bronx, New York. In our exclusive interview, Halmos discussed the rationale and design of the VISION trial, the significance of MET exon 14 skipping mutations as a distinct oncogenic driver, and the clinical utility of tepotinib, which is a selective MET TKI. He reviewed the trial’s efficacy results, which demonstrated consistent response rates across lines of therapy and diagnostic methods, as well as tolerability findings that highlighted the importance of monitoring and managing MET-related adverse effects. Dr Halmos also reflected on subgroup analyses from the trial, noting the agent’s activity across treatment settings, particularly in older patients and those with central nervous system involvement. Additionally, Halmos underscored the critical role of comprehensive biomarker testing in NSCLC, highlighting how parallel tissue- and circulating tumor DNA–based testing can optimize timely identification of actionable alterations and ensure patients receive the most effective frontline therapy. He also discussed practical considerations for dose selection and modifications with tepotinib, offering insights into strategies for maximizing treatment benefit and maintaining patient quality of life.

Two Onc Docs, hosted by Samantha A. Armstrong, MD, and Karine Tawagi, MD, is a podcast dedicated to providing current and future oncologists and hematologists with the knowledge they need to ace their boards and deliver quality patient care. Dr Armstrong is a hematologist/oncologist and assistant professor of clinical medicine at Indiana University Health in Indianapolis. Dr Tawagi is a hematologist/oncologist and assistant professor of clinical medicine at the University of Illinois in Chicago. In this episode, OncLive On Air® partnered with Two Onc Docs to feature a conversation about soft tissue sarcoma management. Drs Armstrong and Tawagi discussed that soft tissue sarcomas represent a rare and heterogeneous group of malignancies that arise from mesenchymal cells rather than epithelial cells and encompass several distinct histologic subtypes. They explained that although uncommon, these sarcomas are frequently emphasized in board examinations, partly because their management has historically been stable, though recent FDA approvals and ongoing research have expanded therapeutic options. They noted that risk factors may include prior radiation exposure, environmental agents, and viral infections. Additionally, they shared that chronic lymphedema is associated with angiosarcoma, whereas rare hereditary syndromes may predispose individuals to specific sarcoma subtypes.  Clinically, they explained that sarcomas may arise anywhere in the body, though many occur in the thigh, buttocks, or groin, typically presenting as painless, enlarging masses often mistaken for benign lesions. They emphasized that diagnosis requires core needle biopsy to preserve tissue architecture and that staging relies on MRI of the primary site and CT of the chest, given the strong predilection for pulmonary metastases. They also summarized the five subtypes of soft tissue sarcoma—synovial, clear cell, angiosarcoma, rhabdomyosarcoma, and epithelioid. They reported that the cornerstone of localized disease management is surgical resection, preferably limb-sparing when feasible, combined with radiation for larger or high-risk tumors. They also highlighted novel strategies like immunotherapy. For metastatic disease, they stated that surgical resection of pulmonary metastases can achieve durable remissions in select patients. 

In today’s episode, we passed the mic to Tara E. Seery, MD, who moderated an OncLive Insights discussion on the future of the pancreatic cancer treatment paradigm. Rounding out the discussion with additional expert perspectives were Paul E. Oberstein, MD, and Priyadarshini Pathak, MBBS. Seery is a medical oncologist at the Hoag Family Cancer Institute in Newport Beach, California. Oberstein is an associate professor in the Department of Medicine at the New York University (NYU) Grossman School of Medicine; as well as the director of the Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology Program, the assistant director of the Pancreatic Cancer Center, and the service chief of the Gastrointestinal Medical Oncology Program at NYU Langone's Perlmutter Cancer Center. Pathak is an assistant in medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital and an instructor in medicine at Harvard Medical School in Boston.  In this exclusive conversation, Drs Seery, Oberstein, and Pathak highlighted key data from the phase 3 NAPOLI 3 trial (NCT04083235) of NALIRIFOX (liposomal irinotecan, 5-fluorouracil [5-FU], leucovorin, and oxaliplatin) vs nab-paclitaxel (Abraxane) and gemcitabine in treatment-naive patients with metastatic pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma; the toxicity profiles of NALIRIFOX and FOLFIRINOX (leucovorin, 5-FU, irinotecan, and oxaliplatin); real-world data with these regimens, and more. 

In today’s episode, we spoke with Scott Kopetz, MD, PhD, FACP, about the use of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) in patients with colorectal cancer (CRC). Dr Kopetz is the deputy chair for Translational Research and a professor in the Department of Gastrointestinal (GI) Medical Oncology in the Division of Cancer Medicine, as well as the leader of the Department of Cancer Center Support Grant in the GI Program, the TRACTION medical director in the Division of Therapeutics Discovery, and the associate vice president for Translational Integration at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas. In our conversation, Dr Kopetz discussed the high positive predictive value of ctDNA assays, which indicate disease presence when positive. He emphasized  clinical trials that have shown strong prognostic implications with this type of assay, as well as study findings that demonstrated that ctDNA results could reduce chemotherapy use without compromising efficacy. Additionally, he noted the potential significance of ongoing trials that are exploring the use of ctDNA to guide therapy. Overall, he explained that ctDNA testing is becoming a standard in clinical practice for colorectal cancer. 

In today’s episode, supported by Sumitomo, we spoke with Tanya B. Dorff, MD, about the use of androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) in patients with prostate cancer. Dr Dorff is section chief of the Genitourinary Disease Program, as well as a professor in the Department of Medical Oncology & Therapeutics Research at City of Hope in Duarte, California. In our conversation, Dr Dorff discussed the role of ADT in prostate cancer management, highlighting where this class of agents fits into National Comprehensive Cancer Network guidelines and how this class has evolved with the development of LHRH antagonists and agonists. She explained how the observational OPTYX study (NCT05467176), a registry of relugolix (Orgovyx) use, aims to address safety and efficacy in combination with androgen receptor pathway inhibitors in patients with advanced prostate cancer. She also noted how early data from OPTYX presented at the 2025 ASCO Annual Meeting showed relugolix's use in localized and metastatic settings. Dorff also talked through relugolix's safety profile, particularly regarding cardiovascular risk, as well as the quality-of-life effects associated with ADT. She also addressed strategies to mitigate financial toxicity, along with the potential for future ADT-sparing treatments.

In today’s episode, supported by Chimerix, we spoke with Patrick Y. Wen, MD, about the FDA approval of dordaviprone (Modeyso) for the treatment of adult and pediatric patients at least 1 year of age with H3K27M-mutated diffuse midline glioma who have progressive disease following prior therapy. Dr Wen is the director of the Center for Neuro-Oncology at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute; as well as a professor of neurology at Harvard Medical School in Boston, Massachusetts. In our conversation, Dr Wen discussed the significance of this accelerated approval across patient age groups, key efficacy and safety data that supported this approval, and the importance of biomarker testing in patients with glioma. He also highlighted potential next steps for expanding the investigation of dordaviprone in patients with glioma and emphasized the ways that multidisciplinary collaboration can provide patients with personalized, optimized care. 

In today’s episode, supported by Nuvation Bio, we spoke with Joel Neal, MD, PhD, and Christian Rolfo, MD, PhD, about the FDA approval of taletrectinib (Ibtrozi) for the treatment of patients with locally advanced or metastatic, ROS1-positive non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Dr Neal is a professor of medicine in the Division of Oncology at the Stanford Cancer Institute at Stanford University in Palo Alto, California. Dr Rolfo is the director of the Division of Medical Oncology at The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center—James and a professor in the College of Medicine at The Ohio State University in Columbus. In our conversation, Drs Neal and Rolfo discussed the significance of this approval, key data from the pivotal phase 2 TRUST-I (NCT04395677) and TRUST-II (NCT04919811) trials, and taletrectinib's current role in the NSCLC treatment paradigm.