This Breast Cancer Awareness Month, we’re highlighting several groundbreaking developments that were introduced at the 2025 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) annual meeting. Over 40,000 oncologists, scientists, and breast cancer patient advocates came together to discuss advancements in breast cancer research, early detection, and cutting-edge treatments, offering hope to individuals diagnosed at every stage, from early disease to metastatic breast cancer. Let’s take a look at some of the 2025 wins.
Exercise and Lifestyle Factors
The CHALLENGE clinical trial, conducted with colon cancer survivors, may help shed some light on breast cancer recurrence. This robust study looked at exercise and how it might affect quality of life and outcomes. Participants were randomized, with some assigned a physical activity level and trainer for three years. Several biomarkers were tracked, including insulin levels, weight, and glucose levels, and participants could choose their type of activity—for example, walking or strength training. After many years of follow-up, the results showed that the patients who had engaged in physical activity had reduced recurrence rates and improved survival rates.
This is particularly interesting as similar ongoing trials involving breast cancer patients are underway, including the Breast Cancer Weight Loss (BWEL) trial, a randomized, controlled trial designed to determine whether weight loss after breast cancer diagnosis can reduce the risk of cancer recurrence in women who are overweight or obese.
Right-sizing Treatment
Bigger isn’t always better, and more treatment doesn’t always lead to improved outcomes. Much discussion circulated at the ASCO meeting surrounding right-sizing treatment, especially for patients with early cancer. Because chemotherapy and other cancer treatments can cause harm, it’s important to balance toxicity with expected benefits. The CompassHER2-pCR trial is exploring whether some people with early HER2-positive breast cancer may be able to safely avoid chemotherapy after surgery if their tumors respond well to initial treatment with THP (trastuzumab, pertuzumab, and chemotherapy). Researchers are also evaluating a new genomic test, HER2DX, to see if it can predict which cancers are most likely to disappear after the first round of therapy. Early findings are encouraging, pointing toward more personalized—and potentially less aggressive—treatment options.
Sometimes the answer lies not in which medications to prescribe, but in proper dosing. For women with high-risk endocrine-sensitive breast cancer, for example, CDK4/6 inhibitors may be incorporated into a therapy regimen, but they can be difficult to tolerate. Studies looked at ramping up the dose more slowly, over time, to reduce toxic effects. This helps patients to successfully stay on their medications rather than discontinuing them due to side effects or toxicity.
A Focus on Quality of Life
It is always important to remember that we are treating people, not just a disease. Focusing on maximizing quality of life during and after treatment was a priority at this year’s meeting. The phase 3OASIS-4 trial found that a new drug, elinzanetant, can significantly reduce moderate to severe hot flashes in women with early estrogen receptor-positive (ER+) breast cancer who are taking hormone therapy. Participants also reported the treatment was generally well tolerated. Elinzanetant is one of several emerging options aimed at making hormone therapy more manageable and improving quality of life.
Here are some other notable takeaways:
- The VERITAC-2 trial showed that the new drug vepdegestrant extended progression-free survival by about three months compared to fulvestrant in people with ER+/HER2- advanced breast cancer with ESR1 mutations, with few discontinuations. An added benefit: the drug is taken orally rather than in monthly injections.
- The SERENA-6 trial suggests that analyzing circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) may help detect treatment resistance in metastatic breast cancer before it appears on scans, offering a promising approach for earlier, more personalized treatment decisions.
- The DESTINY-Breast09 trial showed that first-line treatment with trastuzumab deruxtecan plus pertuzumab extended progression-free survival to 40.7 months in HER2+ metastatic breast cancer, compared with 26.9 months for the previous standard therapy.
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