Treatments and Study Updates: Highlights from ESMO 2026
November 9, 2026
Each year, researchers, physicians, and industry partners gather at the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) Congress to share the latest updates on new treatments and scientific breakthroughs in the cancer space. We’re sharing key takeaways for the lung cancer community.
A combination treatment improves first-line maintenance therapy for extensive-stage small cell lung cancer (ES-SCLC)
The phase 3 (III) DeLLphi-305 study evaluated whether adding Imdelltra (tarlatamab) to Imfinzi (durvalumab) improved outcomes for people with ES-SCLC whose disease hadn’t progressed after initial chemoimmunotherapy, compared to Imfinzi (durvalumab) alone. Results showed median overall survival (the length of time from the start of a treatment until death from any cause) improved to over 21 months with the addition of Imdelltra (tarlatamab) to Imfinzi (durvalumab) compared to almost 13 months for people treated with Imfinzi (durvalumab) alone, corresponding to a 58% reduction in the risk of death.
Why it matters: Most people with ES-SCLC relapse quickly, and this is a large survival gain from adding a single drug for people who initally respond well to treatment.
A new treatment for people whose non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) has a KRAS-G12C mutation
The phase 3 (III) Krascendo 1 trial compared the next-generation KRAS G12C inhibitor Divarasib to the current standard-of-care inhibitors, Lumakras (sotorasib) or Krazati (adagrasib), in people with previously treated advanced KRAS-G12C-positive NSCLC. Results showed median progression-free survival (the length of time after starting a treatment that a person lives with a disease without it getting worse) improved to about 10 months with Divarasib compared to about 6 months with either Lumakras (sotorasib) or Krazati (adagrasib). Treatment with Divarasib also improved median overall survival from 12 to about 18 months, corresponding to a 44% reduction in the risk of death.
Note: 91% of study participants in the control group received Lumakras (sotorasib), limiting the ability to draw definitive conclusions about superiority of Divarasib over Krazati (adagrasib) specifically.
Why it matters: This study directly compared inhibitors in people with previously treated advanced KRAS-G12C-positive NSCLC and showed that one inhibitor can outperform another targeting the same mutation.
Combination EGFR-MET inhibition in first-line EGFR-mutant, MET-overexpressing NSCLC leads to improved outcomes
The phase 3 (III) SANOVO trial, conducted in China, looked at whether adding the MET inhibitor Orpathys (savolitinib) to first-line Tagrisso (osimertinib) in people with advanced NSCLC whose tumors have MET overexpression at the start of treatment leads to better outcomes. Results showed that for people with high MET-overexpression, the addition of Orpathys (savolitinib) to first-line Tagrisso (osimertinib) increased median progression-free survival from over 11 months with Tagrisso (osimertinib) alone to almost 25 months, corresponding to a 55% reduction in the risk of death, although treatment-related side effects were more common in the combination treatment.
Why it matters: These results suggest MET expression status may help guide the choice of the best first-line treatment option for people with EGFR-mutant NSCLC.
Another potential option for EGFR-mutated NSCLC with MET-driven resistance
The phase 3 (III) SAFFRON trial compared the combination of Tagrisso (osimertinib) and Orpathys (savolitinib) against platinum-based chemotherapy with Alimta (pemetrexed) for people with EGFR-mutated NSCLC who developed high MET-overexpression and/or MET amplification after first-line EGFR-targeting therapy. Results showed median progression-free survival improved to almost 8 months with the combination of Tagrisso (osimertinib) and Orpathys (savolitinib) compared to about 5 months with platinum-based chemotherapy with Alimta (pemetrexed). Median overall survival in study participants also increased from about 13 to 18 months, corresponding to a 32% reduction in the risk of death.
Why it matters: These results provide a potential new targeted, chemotherapy-free treatment option with a survival benefit for people with EGFR-mutated NSCLC who develop high MET-overexpression and/or MET amplification after first-line EGFR-targeting therapy.
A pair of studies look to expand the use of antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) following EGFR-targeting therapies
Two phase 3 (III) studies, OptiTROP-Lung04 and PANKU-Lung01, explored whether the ADCs Sac-TMT (sacituzumab tirumotecan) and Iza-bren (izalontamab brengitecan), respectively, could lead to better outcomes compared to platinum-based chemotherapy after EGFR-targeting therapy.
- In OptiTROP-Lung04, median overall survival rose from about 17 months with platinum-based chemotherapy to almost 26 months with Sac-TMT, corresponding to a 31% reduction in the risk of death. At 2 years, 54% of participants treated with Sac-TMT were still alive, compared to 37% of participants receiving platinum-based chemotherapy.
- PANKU-Lung01 showed median progression-free survival rising from about 6 months with platinum-based chemotherapy to over 11 months with Iza-bren, corresponding to a 60% reduction in the risk of death. The response rate (the percentage of people whose tumors shrank by at least 30%) also markedly increased from about 35% with platinum-based chemotherapy to about 60% with Iza-bren.
Why it matters: These studies may expand the list of treatment options after EGFR-targeting therapies for many individuals.
Could an ADC replace chemotherapy as part of the standard first-line treatment for some people with nonsquamous NSCLC?
The phase 3 (III) OptiTROP-Lung06 trial compared Sac-TMT (sacituzumab tirumotecan) plus Keytruda (pembrolizumab) to platinum-based chemotherapy plus Keytruda (pembrolizumab) as first-line treatment for individuals with nonsquamous NSCLC who have PD-L1 expression below 1% and no actionable biomarkers. Results showed median progression-free survival markedly improved to 15 months in individuals receiving Sac-TMT (sacituzumab tirumotecan) plus Keytruda (pembrolizumab), compared to about 6 months seen in people receiving platinum-based chemotherapy plus Keytruda (pembrolizumab), corresponding to a 51% reduction in the risk of death.
Why it matters: These results suggest that ADCs may eventually replace the chemotherapy component of standard first-line care in some people with nonsquamous NSCLC.
Looking forward
These highlights only scratch the surface of what was presented at ESMO 2026. Several themes stood out across research presented at the conference: new combination approaches in both small cell and non-small cell lung cancer, targeted therapies that outperformed current standards of care, and ADCs that may move into earlier lines of treatment (and, in some cases, replace chemotherapy).
Overall, treatment options for people living with lung cancer continue to become more personalized. We encourage people living with lung cancer to talk with their care team about what these findings could mean for them.
Our team is here to help you and your loved ones understand the latest lung cancer research, biomarker testing, and treatment options, including clinical trials. Call 1-800-298-2436 or email support@go2.org for free, one-on-one guidance.