Alliance E-News - May 2026
Spotlight on Alliance Research
Alliance Research at ASCO 2026
The Alliance for Clinical Trials in Oncology and Alliance Foundation Trials will present a diverse portfolio of research at the 2026 ASCO Annual Meeting, taking place May 29-June 2 in Chicago, Illinois, spanning breast, gastrointestinal, genitourinary, thoracic, neuro-oncology, health outcomes, and data science. Collectively, these studies reflect the continued leadership of the Alliance in practice-changing clinical trials, translational biomarker discovery, survivorship and quality-of-life research, and innovative approaches to clinical trial infrastructure. This year’s presentations emphasize precision oncology, treatment optimization, patient-centered outcomes, and integration of emerging technologies such as circulating tumor DNA analysis, artificial intelligence, and electronic health record–based data collection.
In breast cancer, Alliance investigators will present translational analyses focused on endocrine resistance and HER2-positive disease biology. Alliance A011106 examines shared and distinct molecular signatures associated with resistance to different endocrine therapies, with the goal of refining treatment selection and understanding mechanisms of therapeutic escape. The NCCTG-N9831 analysis evaluates late recurrence patterns and the immune landscape of HER2-positive invasive lobular carcinoma, providing important insights into long-term recurrence risk and tumor immunobiology in this uncommon breast cancer subtype.
Alliance A011106
Shared and Distinct Molecular signatures of Resistance to different Endocrine therapies (Alliance A011106)
Lead author: Meenakshi Anurag, PhD
Abstract # 566 | Poster Board # 51
Poster Session - Breast Cancer—Local/Regional/Adjuvant
Learn more about the trial here - Clinical Trial ID #: NCT01953588
NCCTG-N9831
Distinct late recurrence patterns and immune landscape of HER2-positive invasive lobular carcinoma: Analysis of the NCCTG N9831 (Alliance) trial and real-world validation
Lead author: Thiti Susiriwatananont, MD, MS
Abstract # 564 | Poster Board # 49
Poster Session - Breast Cancer—Local/Regional/Adjuvant
Learn more about the trial here - Clinical Trial ID #: NCT00005970
The Alliance gastrointestinal cancer portfolio highlights both translational science and survivorship-related outcomes. Analyses from CALGB/SWOG 80702 explore the relationship between lycopene exposure and survival in stage III colon cancer, while the NCCTG-N0147 study applies deep learning techniques to characterize the tumor microenvironment and correlate imaging-derived features with postoperative circulating tumor DNA status and clinical outcomes. Additional GI presentations include subgroup analyses from the phase III CABINET trial evaluating cabozantinib in advanced neuroendocrine tumors and patient-reported quality-of-life findings from the ATOMIC trial in dMMR colon cancer.
Alliance A151939, CALGB 80702
Lycopene and survival among patients with stage III colon cancer: Findings from CALGB/SWOG 80702 (Alliance)
Lead author: Seohyuk Lee, MD
Abstract # 3630 | Poster Board # 397
Poster Session - Gastrointestinal Cancer—Colorectal and Anal
NCCTG-N0147
A deep learning approach to quantify tumor microenvironment features associated with postoperative ctDNA status and outcomes in a phase III FOLFOX-based adjuvant colon cancer trial (N0147; Alliance)
Lead author: Frank A. Sinicrope, MD
Abstract # 3525 | Poster Board # 279
Poster Session - Gastrointestinal Cancer—Colorectal and Anal
Alliance A021602
Efficacy and safety of cabozantinib (CABO) in advanced neuroendocrine tumors (NET) according to hormone functional status: Subgroup analysis of phase 3 CABINET trial (Alliance A021602)
Lead author: Nikolaos A Trikalinos, MD, MS
Abstract # 4178 | Poster Board # 161
Poster Session - Gastrointestinal Cancer—Gastroesophageal, Pancreatic, and Hepatobiliary
Learn more about the trial here - Clinical Trial ID #: NCT03375320
Alliance A021502
Health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in the phase 3 trial of standard chemotherapy alone or combined with atezolizumab as adjuvant therapy for patients with stage III deficient DNA mismatch repair (dMMR) colon cancer (Alliance A021502, ATOMIC
Lead author: Amylou C. Dueck, PhD
Abstract # 3626 | Poster Board # 393
Poster Session - Gastrointestinal Cancer—Colorectal and Anal
Learn more about the trial here - Clinical Trial ID #: NCT02912559
Genitourinary oncology represents one of the strongest areas of Alliance activity at ASCO 2026. Several high-profile prostate cancer studies will be featured, including A-DREAM (Alliance A032101), which investigates treatment interruption strategies in patients with exceptional responses to androgen receptor pathway inhibition in metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer. ARACOG (AFT-47) presents randomized data comparing cognitive effects of darolutamide versus enzalutamide, an increasingly important issue as patients remain on androgen receptor inhibitors for prolonged periods. Additional prostate cancer studies include development of a ctDNA-based prognostic model from Alliance A031201 and final results from the phase III CASPAR trial evaluating enzalutamide plus rucaparib in metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer.
Alliance A032101
A phase 2 trial of androgen deprivation therapy interruption in patients responding exceptionally to androgen receptor pathway inhibitor in metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer (A-DREAM / Alliance A032101)
Lead author: Atish D. Choudhury, MD, PhD
Abstract #: 5004 | Oral Abstract Session - Genitourinary Cancer—Prostate, Testicular, and Penile
Learn more about the trial here - Clinical Trial ID #: NCT05241860
Presented on Saturday, May 30, 2026
AFT-47
Cognitive effects of darolutamide vs enzalutamide: Results of ARACOG (AFT-47), a randomized clinical trial from the Alliance for Clinical Trials in Oncology
Lead author: Alicia K. Morgans, MD, MPH
Abstract # 5005 | Oral Abstract Session - Genitourinary Cancer—Prostate, Testicular, and Penile
Learn more about the trial here - Clinical Trial ID #: NCT04335682
Presented on Saturday, May 30, 2026
Alliance A031201
Circulating tumor DNA–based clinical-genetic (CG) prognostic model for radiographic progression-free survival (rPFS) in patients (pts) with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC): Analysis of Alliance A031201
Lead author: Susan Halabi, PhD
Abstract # 5018 | Rapid Oral Abstract Session - Genitourinary Cancer—Prostate, Testicular, and Penile
Learn more about the trial here - Clinical Trial ID #: NCT01949337
Presented on Sunday, May 31, 2026
Alliance A031902
Final results of Alliance A031902: A phase III trial of enzalutamide plus rucaparib as first-line therapy in metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (CASPAR)
Lead author: Charles Ryan, MD
Abstract # 5069 | Poster Board # 164
Poster Session - Genitourinary Cancer—Prostate, Testicular, and Penile
Learn more about the trial here - Clinical Trial ID #: NCT04455750
Alliance investigators will also present important kidney and bladder cancer studies. The RADICAL trial (Alliance A031801) evaluates radium-223 plus cabozantinib in renal cell carcinoma with bone metastases, while MAIN-CAV (Alliance A032001) investigates maintenance cabozantinib and avelumab in advanced urothelial cancer following platinum-based chemotherapy. Health-related quality-of-life findings from the AMBASSADOR trial further underscore the Alliance emphasis on balancing efficacy with survivorship outcomes in urothelial cancer care.
Alliance A031801
A phase 2 randomized trial of radium-223 dichloride and cabozantinib in patients (pts) with renal cell carcinoma (RCC) with bone metastases (BM): RADICAL (Alliance A031801)
Lead author: Rana R. McKay, MD
Abstract # 4500 | Oral Abstract Session - Genitourinary Cancer—Kidney and Bladder
Learn more about the trial here - Clinical Trial ID #: NCT04071223
Presented on Friday, May 29, 2026
Alliance A032001
MAIN-CAV: Phase III randomized trial of maintenance cabozantinib and avelumab versus avelumab after first-line platinum-based chemotherapy (PBC) in patients (pts) with locally advanced/metastatic urothelial cancer (la/mUC; Alliance A032001)
Lead author: Shilpa Gupta, MD
Abstract # 4514 | Rapid Oral Abstract Session - Genitourinary Cancer—Kidney and Bladder
Learn more about the trial here - Clinical Trial ID #: NCT05092958
Presented on Monday, June 1, 2026
Beyond therapeutic studies, Alliance presentations showcase increasing focus on care delivery science and research infrastructure modernization. Alliance DL-04 explores replacing traditional case report forms with mCODE-aligned electronic health record data for clinical trial curation, representing a potentially transformative approach to streamlining oncology research operations. Meanwhile, the BWEL trial (Alliance A011401) examines the impact of structured weight loss interventions on quality of life and symptoms in women with breast cancer, highlighting the growing importance of lifestyle interventions in survivorship care.
Alliance DL-04
The future of oncology research: Replacing case report forms with mCODE-aligned electronic health record data for clinical trial data curation (Alliance).
Lead author: Christopher Vetter, MD
Abstract # e13661 | Publication Only: Care Delivery/Models of Care
Alliance A011401
Effect of a weight loss intervention (WLI) on quality of life (QOL) and symptoms in women with breast cancer: Results from the Breast Cancer Weight Loss (BWEL) trial
Lead author: Jennifer A. Ligibel, MD
Abstract # 4513 | Rapid Oral Abstract Session - Symptom Science and Palliative Care Learn more about the trial here - Clinical Trial ID #: NCT02750826
Presented on Friday, May 29, 2026
In thoracic oncology, Alliance A081105 reports final overall survival outcomes for adjuvant erlotinib after resection of EGFR-mutant non-small cell lung cancer, while ALCHEMIST-related analyses evaluate discordance between central and local PD-L1 testing classifications. Finally, in neuro-oncology, the newly launched VORTEX trial (Alliance A072301) investigates vorasidenib combined with standard chemoradiation in IDH-mutated grade 3 astrocytoma, extending momentum generated by recent advances in IDH-targeted therapy.
Alliance A081105
Adjuvant erlotinib versus observation after complete resection of EGFR-mutant NSCLC: Final overall survival results of Alliance A081105
Lead author: Ramaswamy Govindan, MD
Abstract # 8001 | Oral Abstract Session - Lung Cancer—Non–Small Cell Local-Regional/Small Cell/Other Thoracic Cancers
Learn more about the trial here - Clinical Trial ID #: NCT02193282
Presented on Monday, June 1, 2026
Alliance A151216, Alliance A081801
Differences in central versus local lab PD-L1 classification in the ALCHEMIST non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) study
Lead author: David E. Kozono, MD, PhD
Abstract # 8057 | Poster Board # 531
Poster Session - Lung Cancer—Non–Small Cell Local-Regional/Small Cell/Other Thoracic Cancers
Learn more about the trial here and here - Clinical Trial ID #: NCT02194738 and NCT04267848
Alliance A072301
Alliance A072301: A phase III trial of radiotherapy followed by adjuvant temozolomide in combination with vorasidenib vs placebo in IDH-mutated newly diagnosed grade 3 astrocytoma (VORTEX)
Lead author: Ugonma N. Chukwueke, MD, MPH
Abstract # TPS2103 | Poster Board # 462b
Poster Session - Central Nervous System Tumors
Learn more about the trial here - Clinical Trial ID #: NCT07215910
Together, these presentations demonstrate the broad impact of the Alliance across oncology research, from biomarker-driven precision medicine and novel therapeutic strategies to survivorship, quality-of-life science, and modernization of clinical trial methodology.
