Five Under 5: Top Oncology Videos for the Week of 9/27

Welcome to The Five Under 5, your go-to roundup of the top 5 videos of the week.

These short videos are designed for busy oncologists to view on the go, and feature expert insights on breaking news, regulatory updates, practice-changing data shared at medical meetings, and other key topics in the realm of oncology.

Here’s what you may have missed:

Efforts to Improve Anemia Management Strategies in Lower-Risk MDS: Mikkael A. Sekeres, MD, MS

Mikkael A. Sekeres, MD, MS, of Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center of the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, reviewed the evolution of anemia management in lower-risk myelodysplastic syndromes, from erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (ESAs) to luspatercept-aamt (Reblozyl) and the investigational activin receptor ligand trap elritercept (KER-050; TAK-226). Exogenous erythropoietin worked in approximately 40% of patients, particularly those with lower serum erythropoietin levels who were not yet transfusion dependent, he noted. Luspatercept gained frontline FDA approval based on the phase 3 COMMANDS trial (NCT03682536), in which 58.5% of patients receiving luspatercept (n = 86) vs 31.2% of those receiving epoetin alfa (Epogen/Procrit; n = 48) achieved red blood cell transfusion independence of at least 12 weeks with a mean hemoglobin increase of at least 1.5 g/dL (P < .0001). Elritercept, which had greater activity against activin A and activin B than luspatercept, was following the same development path, Sekeres explained. The placebo-controlled phase 3 RENEW trial (NCT06499285) was evaluating the agent following prior ESA therapy, and the phase 3 ELRiSE MDS trial (NCT07422480) was comparing it directly with epoetin alfa, he said.

The MRD-Negativity Data From the EXCALIBER-RRMM Trial in Multiple Myeloma: Sagar Lonial, MD, FACP, FASCO

Sagar Lonial, MD, FACP, FASCO, of Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University, detailed minimal residual disease (MRD)–negativity data from the phase 3 EXCALIBER-RRMM trial (NCT04975997) of iberdomide (Zenbexus) plus daratumumab (Darzalex) and dexamethasone (IberDd) vs daratumumab, bortezomib (Velcade), and dexamethasone (DVd) in relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma. At a median follow-up of 15.7 months, the MRD-negative complete response rate was 41.1% with IberDd (n = 207) vs 20.7% with DVd (n = 213; P < .0001), according to data presented at the 23rd International Myeloma Society Annual Meeting & Exposition. Lonial noted that the MRD-negativity benefit extended across subgroups, including patients whose disease was exposed or refractory to lenalidomide (Revlimid). Grade 3/4 neutropenia, an on-target effect of cereblon binding, occurred in 84.3% of patients receiving IberDd vs 11.3% of those receiving DVd, whereas grade 3/4 diarrhea and fatigue occurred in 4.4% and 2.0% of patients in the IberDd arm, respectively. The FDA granted accelerated approval to IberDd on August 13, 2026, and progression-free survival (PFS) data to support full approval were expected within the year, he said.

The Mechanism of Action of TTFields in Locally Advanced Pancreatic Cancer: Philip A. Philip, MD

Philip A. Philip, MD, of Henry Ford Cancer Institute, explored how tumor treating fields (TTFields)—alternating electrical currents delivered noninvasively through arrays worn over the abdomen—disrupted cancer cell proliferation and interfered with the tumor microenvironment in locally advanced pancreatic cancer. Beyond direct antiproliferative effects, Philip said TTFields shifted tumor biology toward a state that helped control growth and could provide symptomatic benefit. In February 2026, the FDA approved the Optune Pax device for concomitant use with gemcitabine (Gemzar) and nab-paclitaxel (Abraxane) based on the phase 3 PANOVA-3 trial (NCT03377491), which randomly assigned 571 patients 1:1 to the device plus chemotherapy or chemotherapy alone. In the intent-to-treat population, median overall survival (OS) was 16.2 months vs 14.2 months, respectively (HR, 0.82; 95% CI, 0.68-0.99; P = .039). The device regimen also extended median time to pain progression to 15.2 months vs 9.1 months without increasing systemic toxicity.

The Rationale for Investigating INCA33890 in MSS/pMMR mCRC: Moh’d Khushman, MD

Moh’d Khushman, MD, of Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, outlined the rationale for the phase 3 INCA033890-303 trial (NCT07284849) evaluating INCA33890 plus FOLFOX (leucovorin, fluorouracil, and oxaliplatin) and bevacizumab (Avastin) in microsatellite stable/mismatch repair–proficient metastatic colorectal cancer. The bispecific antibody targeted PD-1 and TGF-β receptor 2 and was designed to inhibit TGF-β signaling preferentially in PD-1–positive immune cells, potentially avoiding toxicity that complicated prior attempts at systemic TGF-β inhibition, he explained. Khushman said chemotherapy induced cytoreduction and antigen release, bevacizumab targeted VEGF-mediated angiogenesis and immune suppression, and INCA33890 was designed to counter PD-1– and TGF-β–mediated immune suppression. Patients were being randomly assigned 1:1 to INCA33890 or placebo plus FOLFOX/bevacizumab, with stratification by tumor sidedness, liver metastases, and PD-L1 score. The primary end point was PFS, and OS was a key secondary end point, Khushman noted.

The Promise and Current Limitations of ctDNA Monitoring in Uveal Melanoma: Alexander N. Shoushtari, MD

Alexander N. Shoushtari, MD, of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, addressed the role of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) monitoring in metastatic uveal melanoma, one of the better-studied settings for the approach. He noted that not every patient had detectable ctDNA at baseline, but that testing could be useful with tebentafusp-tebn (Kimmtrak), since patients could benefit even when scans showed minimal shrinkage or slight lesion growth. Shoushtari emphasized that ctDNA monitoring needed to be incorporated into trials to prove that decisions based on it were as good as, if not better than, those based on imaging—ideally in a large study with ctDNA as a primary or co-primary end point. The harder goal, he said, was returning ctDNA results in real time within a phase 3 trial, as quickly as a CT scan or MRI. Until such data emerged, Shoushtari said he could not use ctDNA testing universally, as the field remained without clear guidance mandating its use.