Track the Lung Cancer Abstracts That are Gaining Attention at ASCO 2026

Before you leave for the 2026 ASCO Annual Meeting, which will take place from May 29 to June 2 in Chicago, Illinois, OncLive® pooled the presentations that leading medical oncologists in the field of lung cancer are prioritizing and why.

This exclusive preview features insights from:

• Eric K. Singhi, MD, medical oncology faculty lead of the MD Anderson Young Onset Lung Cancer Program, Department of General Oncology, Division of Cancer Medicine, and assistant professor in the Department of General Oncology and Department of Thoracic/Head and Neck Medical Oncology at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston.
• Isabel Preeshagul, DO, MBS, associate attending physician at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York, New York.
• Jonathan W. Lee, MD, MSc, chief hematology/oncology fellow in the Joan and Sanford I. Weill Department of Medicine at NewYork Presbyterian-Weill Cornell Medicine in New York, New York.

Singhi’s list:

Abstract 8502: Lorlatinib vs crizotinib as first-line treatment for advanced ALK+ non-small cell lung cancer: 7-year update from the phase 3 CROWN study

Presentation time: May 29, 2:00-2:12 PM CT

Location: Hall D2

“At the 2024 ASCO Annual Meeting, we saw the 5-year follow-up data from the CROWN trial [NCT03052608] showing unprecedented PFS [progression-free survival] benefit, which became practice changing for many of our frontline [patients with] ALK-positive disease. [At this year’s meeting] we will hear about the 7-year follow-up data, which will continue to provide reasoning for frontline use of lorlatinib [Lorbrena].”

Abstract 8515: Tremelimumab (T) + durvalumab (D) + chemotherapy (CT) vs pembrolizumab (P) + CT in 1L non-squamous (NSQ) metastatic NSCLC (mNSCLC) with STK11, KEAP1, and/or KRAS mutations (mut): Interim analysis (IA) of the phase 2b TRITON study

Presentation time: May 30, 1:45-1:51 PM CT

Location: Hall D2

“Many of us in thoracic oncology have long asked which patients we should prioritize a dual immunotherapy strategy for as opposed to single-agent immune checkpoint blockade plus chemotherapy. This study addresses this question for patients with a specific biomarker subset of [mutant] STK11/KEAP1 and/or KRAS, which is a disease that is largely thought to be immunotherapy resistant.”

Abstract LBA3: Event-free survival with adjuvant selpercatinib in stage IB-IIIA RET fusion–positive NSCLC: Primary results of the phase 3 LIBRETTO-432 trial

Presentation time: May 31, 2:13-2:25 PM CT

Location: Hall B1

“If positive, this trial will establish a new standard of care for patients with early-stage, resected RET fusion–positive NSCLC [non–small cell lung cancer] and will meaningfully add to our treatment armamentarium of targeted therapies/precision medicine in the early-stage setting.”

Preeshagul’s list:

Abstract 8502: Lorlatinib vs crizotinib as first-line treatment for advanced ALK+ non-small cell lung cancer: 7-year update from the phase 3 CROWN study

Presentation time: May 29, 2:00-2:12 PM CT

Location: Hall D2

“[We’re going to see the] 7-year follow-up data from the CROWN trial. At 5 years, the median PFS was not reached. [We saw] CNS [central nervous system] protection up to 92%, and 60% [of patients] had no cancer growth at 5 years. This is important as it shows durable response in the stage IV setting. [We] always appreciate longer follow-up data.”

Abstract LBA3: Event-free survival with adjuvant selpercatinib in stage IB-IIIA RET fusion–positive NSCLC: Primary results of the phase 3 LIBRETTO-432 trial

Presentation time: May 31, 2:13-2:25 PM CT

Location: Hall B1

“[I’m] excited to hear about moving more targeted agents to the early-stage setting to hopefully improve survival and decrease risk of recurrence.”

Abstract LBA4: Ivonescimab plus chemotherapy versus tislelizumab plus chemotherapy in previously untreated advanced squamous non–small cell lung cancer: Overall survival results of the phase 3 HARMONi-6 trial

Presentation time: May 31, 2:47-2:59 PM CT

Location: Hall B1

“[I’m] looking forward to hearing about how we can best treat these patients with stage IV squamous cell histology. [Based on the results] combination therapy may be the answer.”

Abstract 8000: Randomized phase III study of nivolumab after surgery and adjuvant chemotherapy in NSCLC (ECOG-ACRIN EA5142, ALCHEMIST)

Presentation time: June 1, 1:15-1:27 PM CT

Location: Hall D1

“[This is a] large study looking at the benefit of an adjuvant IO [immuno-oncology drug] plus chemotherapy in this patient cohort. While the space of neoadjuvant therapy is expanding, there still are patients who are not referred or unexpectedly require adjuvant therapy.”

Lee’s list:

Abstract LBA8500: Sunvozertinib monotherapy versus platinum-based chemotherapy as first-line treatment for advanced NSCLC with EGFR exon20ins: Primary analysis of a multinational phase 3 randomized study (WU-KONG28)

Presentation time: May 29, 1:00-1:12 PM CT

Location: Hall D2

“Non-classical EGFR-mutated NSCLC represents a challenging subset of lung cancer due to its heterogeneity and limited treatment options. I’m excited to see the first-line data comparing sunvozertinib with traditional platinum-based chemotherapy as well as additional efficacy and safety signals in higher-risk disease. I think this trial opens the door to combination approaches, similar to what we’ve seen in the classical EGFR-mutated space, which ultimately means more options and personalization for our patients.”

Abstract 8513: Phase 2 data from ROSETTA Lung-02, a global randomized phase 2/3 trial of pumitamig (PD-L1 × VEGF-A bsAb) + chemotherapy in 1L NSCLC

Presentation time: May 30, 1:21-1:27 PM CT

Location: Hall D2

“Pumitamig is a bispecific antibody targeting PD-L1 and VEGF-A and to me is exciting for 2 reasons. First, as a class of drug, bispecific antibodies are intriguing from a mechanistic standpoint with a lot of ongoing research with respect to how simultaneous activation of pathways has implications on activity and efficacy. Second, there’s renewed excitement in targeting VEGF, which has been a target across multiple cancer types due to the interplay between angiogenesis and immune regulation.”

Abstract 8012: Preliminary results from an ongoing phase 1 study of LB2102, a dnTGFBR2-armored DLL3-targeted autologous CAR-T cell therapy, in patients with relapsed or refractory SCLC or LCNEC

Presentation time: May 31, 5:00-5:06 PM CT

Location: Arie Crown Theater

“CAR T-cell therapy in solid tumors is still finding its footing, but it is truly exciting to see the growing role of cell therapy in solid tumors. We’ve seen the transformative potential of these therapies in the malignant hematology space, and I sincerely hope we can bring that degree of clinical benefit to our patients too.”

Lee’s honorable mentions:

Abstract 8517: Prophylactic peptide vaccine targeting resistance mutations in advanced ALK-positive lung cancer: Primary analysis from the ARCHER trial

Presentation time: May 30, 2:09-2:15 PM CT

Location: Hall D2

Abstract 8506: Sacituzumab tirumotecan (sac-TMT) plus pembrolizumab (P) versus pembrolizumab (P) as first-line treatment for PDL1–positive advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC): Results from the randomized phase 3 OptiTROP-Lung05 study

Presentation time: May 29, 3:12-3:24 PM CT

Location: Hall D2

Abstract 8014: Transcriptomic analyses of molecular subsets and correlations with clinical outcomes from the phase 3 IMforte study of lurbinectedin (lurbi) + atezolizumab (atezo) maintenance treatment (Tx) in extensive-stage small-cell lung cancer (ES-SCLC)

Presentation time: May 31, 5:12-5:18 PM CT

Location: Arie Crown Theater

“These 3 [abstracts] are also pretty interesting to me, and I think folks [are] excited [to see] the clinical data for OptiTROP-Lung05 [NCT06448312].”