The American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Annual Meeting 2025 is set to convene in Chicago this week, bringing together thousands of researchers, clinicians, and industry experts under the theme "Unifying Cancer Science and Medicine: A Continuum of Innovation for Impact." The meeting aims to bridge the critical gap between breakthrough laboratory discoveries and their clinical applications for patients.
Program chairs Dr. Lillian L. Siu, FAACR, incoming AACR president from Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, and Dr. Matthew G. Vander Heiden, director of the Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research at MIT, have designed a comprehensive program that spans the entire spectrum of cancer research and treatment.
"We tried to create a program that really covers the entire continuum from basic cancer discovery all the way through to translational research and clinical trials," explained Dr. Vander Heiden in an interview with The American Journal of Managed Care®. "If we're going to make progress in our fight against cancer, it has to start both with fundamental discovery, but also we have to do very good clinical trials and clinical science and everything in between."
Breaking Down Silos in Cancer Research
A central focus of this year's meeting is encouraging attendees to venture beyond their areas of expertise. Dr. Siu emphasized this approach: "I certainly want to attend sessions where I have little experience or knowledge so that I can learn instead of just going to [the ones in] my comfort zone."
The program includes diverse session formats—from plenary sessions to symposia, educational sessions, and meet-the-expert discussions—covering population science, chemistry, biostatistics, and other disciplines that contribute to cancer research.
"Making progress in cancer science and medicine really means gaining insight from everything: basic discovery, population science, policy, clinical trials, biomarker studies, [and] chemistry," noted Dr. Vander Heiden. "Everyone plays a role; all these areas are interconnected—they're a continuum."
Addressing Critical Barriers in Cancer Care
Many of the featured studies at AACR 2025 will tackle significant challenges in current cancer treatment, including manufacturing delays in CAR T-cell therapy, adverse events associated with antibody-drug conjugates, and the rising rates of cancer among young adults.
The meeting will also explore global oncology, examining cancer care and research across geographical and economic boundaries. "We want to cover the whole spectrum, not just bench to bedside, but also geographical barriers and other barriers. We're trying to break [them] so that we really can learn science globally together," said Dr. Siu.
Spotlight on Groundbreaking Clinical Trials
Several highly anticipated clinical trial presentations are scheduled throughout the meeting:
HER2-Targeted Therapy for Lung Cancer
Dr. John Heymach of MD Anderson Cancer Center will present new data from Beamion LUNG-1, evaluating zongertinib in patients with pretreated HER2-mutant advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). This oral HER2-specific tyrosine kinase inhibitor has already shown promising results, with a 71% response rate in phase 1b studies and a favorable safety profile. The FDA has granted zongertinib priority review, highlighting its potential to address unmet needs in this patient population.
Immunotherapy for Rectal Cancer
Dr. Andrea Cercek of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center will present "Nonoperative Management of Mismatch Repair Deficient Tumors," featuring results from a study of dostarlimab (Jemperli) in rectal cancer. Previous findings showed complete disappearance of rectal cancer in patients receiving this immunotherapy, leading to FDA breakthrough designation in December.
Off-the-Shelf CAR Therapy
Dr. Stephen A. Strickland of SCRI TriStar Bone Marrow Transplant will present first-in-human data on SENTI-202, a CD33/FLT3 selective off-the-shelf logic-gated CAR natural killer cell therapy for hematologic malignancies, including acute myeloid leukemia. This novel approach by Senti Bio includes features designed to prevent off-target toxicities, potentially addressing manufacturing challenges associated with current CAR therapies.
KRAS Targeting
Dr. Kathryn C. Arbour of Memorial Sloan Kettering will present preliminary data on zoldonrasib, an oral KRASG12D-selective inhibitor, in patients with KRASG12D non-small cell lung cancer. This Revolution Medicines compound previously demonstrated antitumor activity in pancreatic cancer.
Emerging Technologies and Approaches
The meeting will also highlight advances in liquid biopsy technology, with Emma Titmuss of BC Cancer presenting preliminary results from VICTORI, a study involving detection of postsurgical minimal residual disease in colorectal cancer.
Additional sessions will explore the human microbiome as a diagnostic and treatment target in oncology, the links between metabolism and liver cancer, and the rising rates of early-onset cancers.
Comprehensive Educational Program
The educational component of the meeting begins Friday and Saturday with sessions on cell and gene therapy and the concerning trend of rising cancer rates among young adults. A late plenary session on Saturday will explore metabolic connections to liver cancer and the role of the human microbiome in oncology.
Sunday's plenary session will open with Dr. Kevan Shokat of the University of California San Francisco, who is credited with discovering the "pocket" in KRAS that enabled researchers to target this previously "undruggable" cancer driver.
The final day of the meeting will feature presentations on health care disparities and quality of life issues for cancer patients, underscoring the comprehensive approach of this year's AACR meeting to addressing cancer from multiple perspectives.
As the cancer research community convenes in Chicago, the AACR Annual Meeting 2025 promises to foster the cross-disciplinary collaboration essential for translating scientific discoveries into meaningful advances for patients worldwide.
