OncLive Polls Reveal Picks for Top GI Cancer Abstracts, Areas of Interest at ASCO 2026

With the 2026 ASCO Annual Meeting just 2 weeks away, interest in gastrointestinal (GI) cancer research continues to climb, and several late-breaking abstracts are already generating significant buzz among oncology professionals. To gauge which datasets are most anticipated, OncLive^® conducted informal social media polls of GI oncologists on LinkedIn.

When asked which GI cancer abstracts they were most excited to see read out, respondents (n = 29) overwhelmingly pointed to the phase 3 RASolute 302 trial (NCT06625320) in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), which received 72% of the vote. The phase 3 BREAKWATER study (NCT04607421) in BRAF V600E–mutant metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) was the next highest study of interest (27%). Notably, both the phase 3 CIRCULATE study (NCT04089631) and the phase 3 ATTRACTION-6 trial (NCT05144854) did not receive any votes in this specific sampling, though they remain key points of clinical discussion.

Clinicians were also asked to identify the GI cancer subtype or research area they were most interested in ahead of ASCO. Among 28 respondents, 68% identified RAS targeting in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) as their primary focus. ctDNA-guided treatment in CRC and bispecific antibodies or antibody-drug conjugates in gastric/gastroesophageal junction (G/GEJ) cancer each received 14% of the vote, while dual immune checkpoint inhibitor blockade in G/GEJ cancer accounted for the remaining 4%.

Based on these insights, OncLive has compiled a ranked preview of the most closely followed GI abstracts being presented at the meeting, including trial design, prior findings, and potential implications for practice. Read on for a closer look at each study.

LBA5: Daraxonrasib, a RAS(ON) multi-selective inhibitor, vs chemotherapy in previously treated patients with metastatic pancreatic adenocarcinoma: Primary and final analysis from the Phase 3 RASolute 302 study

Presentation time: Saturday, May 31, 2026, 3:21–3:33 PM CDT | Plenary Session

• Trial Design: This randomized, open-label phase 3 trial (NCT06625320) evaluated the efficacy and safety of daraxonrasib (RMC-6236), a next-generation pan-RAS inhibitor compared with investigator's choice of standard-of-care chemotherapy in patients with previously treated PDAC harboring various RAS mutations, such as KRAS G12D, G12V, and G12R, as well as those with no identified RAS mutation.¹
• Prior Findings & Designations: Topline results from the first interim analysis of RASolute 302 trial showed that daraxonrasib generated statistically significant and clinically meaningful progression-free (PFS) and overall (OS) survival improvements vs standard chemotherapy in previously treated metastatic PDAC.¹ In the intention-to-treat (ITT) population, daraxonrasib produced a median OS of 13.2 months compared with 6.7 months with chemotherapy (HR, 0.40; P < .0001). Regarding safety, daraxonrasib was generally well tolerated. The FDA previously granted a national priority voucher to daraxonrasib in October 2025 and expanded access to daraxonrasib for patients with previously treated metastatic PDAC in May 2026.² Daraxonrasib has also received FDA fast track designation and orphan drug designation for this indication.
• Implications for Practice: Experts agree that RASolute-302 could be practice-changing for the field of pancreatic cancer, potentially establishing the first RAS-targeted therapy as a standard second-line option for KRAS-mutated PDAC, and leading to a major paradigm shift in an area where chemotherapy has long been the only recourse.³

LBA3503: BREAKWATER: Progression-free and overall survival analyses of first-line (1L) encorafenib + cetuximab (EC) + FOLFIRI in BRAF V600E-mutant metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC)

Presentation Time: Sunday, May 31, 2026 | 9:00– 9:12 AM CDT | Oral Abstract Session

• Trial Design: The phase 3 BREAKWATER trial is a multicenter, randomized phase 3 study evaluating the BRAF inhibitor encorafenib (Braftovi) in combination with the EGFR inhibitor cetuximab (Erbitux), with or without chemotherapy (mFOLFOX6 or FOLFIRI) as a first-line treatment for patients with BRAF V600E-mutant mCRC.⁴
• Prior Findings & Designations: In the primary overall response (ORR) analysis of BREAKWATER, patients treated with encorafenib/cetuximab plus mFOLFOX6 (n = 110) achieved an ORR of 61% (95% CI, 52%-70%) compared with 40% (95% CI, 31%-49%) for those treated with chemotherapy with or without bevacizumab (Avastin; P = .0008).⁴ These data supported the December 2024 FDA approval of encorafenib and cetuximab plus mFOLFOX6 (fluorouracil, leucovorin, and oxaliplatin) for patients with mCRC harboring a BRAF V600E mutation.⁵ Additional data from the primary analysis of cohort 3, reported at the 2026 Gastrointestinal Cancers Symposium, showed that patients treated with encorafenib/cetuximab plus FOLFIRI (n = 73) achieved a confirmed ORR of 64.4% (95% CI, 52.9%-74.4%) vs 39.2% (95% CI, 28.9%-50.6%) in the control arm (n = 74; OR, 2.756 (95% CI, 1.420-5.348; 1-sided P = .0011).⁶
• Implications for Practice: Longer follow-up and updated data on survival and durability of response in subgroups from this study will reinforce and further inform the use of targeted therapy doublets or triplets in the first-line setting for BRAF-mutant mCRC.⁷

LBA3500: Disease-free survival (DFS) and time to recurrence (TTR) with circulating tumor (ct)DNA–based decision for adjuvant treatment in colon cancer Stage II (CIRCULATE): An AIO (KRK-0217)/ABCSG trial

Presentation time: Saturday, May 31, 2026, 8:00–8:12 AM CDT | Rapid Oral Abstract Session

• Trial Design: This large-scale prospective study monitored ctDNA status using a tumor-informed assay in patients with resected CRC to determine the utility of ctDNA as a predictive biomarker for adjuvant chemotherapy benefit.⁸
• Prior Findings & Designations: Previously reported data from CIRCULATE, which were shared at the 2025 ASCO Annual Meeting, showed that postoperative cell-free DNA (cfDNA) levels among patients with stage 2 colon cancer (n = 1,439) vary significantly based on surgical timing, with the highest levels observed within 2 weeks of surgery (mean, 1.079 ng/µL) followed by a significant decrease after 3 weeks (mean, 0.631 ng/µL; P < 0.0001).⁸ Despite these temporal variations in cfDNA release due to surgical trauma, ctDNA positivity remained consistent across sampling intervals (e.g., 4.1% at week 1 vs. 5.64% at weeks 6-8), confirming the robustness of the assay for detecting minimal residual disease.
• Implications for Practice: These updated findings are expected to further validate ctDNA as a tool for de-escalation, allowing clinicians to safely omit adjuvant chemotherapy in low-risk, ctDNA-negative patients while identifying high-risk patients who need intensified treatment.^3,7

Abstract 4006: Nivolumab plus ipilimumab combined with chemotherapy as first-line treatment for HER2-negative unresectable advanced or recurrent gastric/gastroesophageal junction cancer: a randomized Phase 3 trial (ATTRACTION-6)

Presentation time: Monday, June 1, 2026, 9:45 AM–12:45 PM CT | Oral Abstract Session

• Trial Design: ATTRACTION-6 is a randomized phase 3 trial comparing the anti-PD-1 antibody nivolumab (Opdivo) and ipilimumab (Yervoy) in combination with standard oxaliplatin-based chemotherapy against chemotherapy alone in the first-line setting for HER2-negative unresectable advanced or recurrent G/GEJ cancer.⁹
• Prior findings: This trial follows the landmark phase 3 CheckMate649 study (NCT02872116), which established nivolumab plus chemotherapy as a standard first-line treatment but showed that nivolumab plus ipilimumab alone did not meet the prespecified boundary for significance in overall survival for patients with a PD-L1 CPS of 5 or greater.¹⁰ ATTRACTION-6 specifically evaluates the addition of the dual checkpoint inhibitor regimen to standard chemotherapy to determine if synergistic blockade of PD-1 and CTLA-4 can further improve clinical outcomes in this population.⁹
• Implications for Practice: There is significant interest among experts in seeing the efficacy of dual checkpoint blockade in G/GEJ cancer.^3,7 Specific attention will be paid to subgroup analyses to identify if patients with particular disease features or co-mutations derive more benefit from standard chemoimmunotherapy. Furthermore, the durability of benefit, toxicity profile, and the necessary duration of CTLA-4 blockade will be critical questions to address if the trial results are positive.

Want to hear directly from experts about the significance of these trials? Check out this preview article and visit our conference coverage page for real-time updates throughout the meeting.

References

1. Daraxonrasib demonstrates unprecedented overall survival benefit in pivotal phase 3 RASolute 302 clinical trial in patients with metastatic pancreatic cancer. News release. Revolution Medicines. April 13, 2026. Accessed May 13, 2026. https://ir.revmed.com/news-releases/news-release-details/daraxonrasib-demonstrates-unprecedented-overall-survival-benefit
2. FDA permits expanded access for investigational pancreatic cancer drug. FDA. May 1, 2026. Accessed May 14, 2026. https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/fda-permits-expanded-access-investigational-pancreatic-cancer-drug
3. Flaherty C. ASCO 2026: all eyes are on daraxonrasib and a wave of novel targeted therapies in GI malignancies. May 14, 2026. Accessed May 14, 2026. https://www.onclive.com/view/asco-2026-all-eyes-are-on-daraxonrasib-and-a-wave-of-novel-targeted-therapies-in-gi-malignancies
4. Kopetz S, Wasan HS, Yoshino T, et al. BREAKWATER: Primary analysis of first-line (1L) encorafenib + cetuximab (EC) + FOLFIRI in BRAF V600E-mutant metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC). J Clin Oncol. 2026;44(suppl 2):13. doi:10.1200/JCO.2026.44.2_suppl.13
5. FDA grants accelerated approval to encorafenib with cetuximab and mFOLFOX6 for metastatic colorectal cancer with a BRAF V600E mutation. FDA. December 20, 2024. Accessed May 14, 2026. https://www.fda.gov/drugs/resources-information-approved-drugs/fda-grants-accelerated-approval-encorafenib-cetuximab-and-mfolfox6-metastatic-colorectal-cancer-braf
6. Pfizer’s BRAFTOVI regimen improves progression-free survival in metastatic colorectal cancer. News release. Pfizer. August 14, 2025. Accessed May 14, 2026. https://www.pfizer.com/news/press-release/press-release-detail/pfizers-braftovi-regimen-improves-progression-free-survival
7. Hornstein N. #ASCO26 is coming up…LinkedIn. May 2026. Accessed May 14, 2026. https://www.linkedin.com/posts/nicholas-hornstein-5183182a_asco26-share-7453938816182202368-OjtE/?utm_source=social_share_send&utm_medium=ios_app&rcm=ACoAABLbQD4BQIZXzZVD0r_tw3oc1d2wkM4NIV4
8. Stasik S, Thiede C, Albus S, et al. Postoperative cfDNA levels and ctDNA detection rates in patients with stage II colon cancer screened for CIRCULATE (AIO-KRK-0217, ABCSG). J Clin Oncol. 2026;43(suppl 16):3610. doi:10.1200/JCO.2025.43.16_suppl.3610
9. A study to evaluate the efficacy and safety of ONO-4538 in combination with ipilimumab and chemotherapy in chemotherapy-naïve participants with HER2-negative unresectable advanced or recurrent gastric cancer (including esophagogastric junction cancer). Clinicaltrials.gov. September 5, 2024. Accessed May 14, 2026. https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT05144854
10. Shitara K, Ajani JA, Moehler M, et al. Nivolumab plus chemotherapy or ipilimumab in gastro-oesophageal cancer. Nature. 2022;603(7903):942-948. doi:10.1038/s41586-022-04508-4