ASCO 2025: Dr Shepard on Advancing Cancer Care

The 2025 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting showcased a landscape of continuous progress in sarcoma treatment, with a focus on uncovering novel therapeutic avenues. Dale Shepard, MD, PhD, hematologist/oncologist at the Cleveland Clinic, discusses the key themes emerging from the conference, highlighting a prevailing sense of optimism driven by ongoing research.

Shepard emphasizes that the most exciting developments lie in "finding new things, that we are continuing to find new approaches." These approaches span various innovative strategies, from identifying new molecular targets to developing methods that interact with resistance mechanisms in receptors. A significant area of focus continues to be the immune system. While checkpoint inhibitors have revolutionized many cancer treatments, their effectiveness is not universal, and resistance can develop. Shepard notes, "The immune system is such a complex sort of system, and it is good to see that we are finding new ways to use the immune system."

He characterizes the current advancements as "stepwise progress," where numerous small pieces of information are gathered, gradually building towards significant breakthroughs. "Every once in a while, we have this new sort of plateau effect where we have, like, dramatic improvement," he explains, indicating that while ASCO 2025 might have presented more incremental gains, these foundational learnings are crucial. "Ultimately, that can come together, and we might, we might have that next big plateau in terms of our ability to treat patients."

The underlying strength of basic science research remains a strong driver of this optimism. Coupled with successful clinical research that proves efficacy in patients, Shepard believes there is "good reason for hope." The ongoing exploration of the complex biology of sarcomas, and the persistent pursuit of new therapeutic interactions, promises a future where more effective and durable treatments can be realized for these challenging cancers. This stepwise accumulation of knowledge at conferences like ASCO is essential for ultimately transforming patient care.