Researchers affiliated with Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center are slated to present their groundbreaking discoveries at the esteemed American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) annual convention. This premier global forum for clinical cancer research, scheduled from May 29th to June 2nd at McCormick Place in Chicago, convenes over 45,000 international attendees, including medical professionals, investigators, and patient advocates.
Our physician-scientists at Roswell Park are instrumental in pioneering the frontier of cancer treatment. Their selection to showcase their findings before this distinguished assembly underscores the exceptional caliber and widespread significance of their endeavors.”
Renier Brentjens, MD, PhD, Deputy Director and Chair of the Department of Medicine at Roswell Park
Five pivotal presentations originating from Roswell Park faculty and fellows have been selected for highlight:
- The class of drugs known as GLP-1 receptor agonists, extensively utilized for glycemic control and weight management, may also possess ancillary advantages concerning breast cancer, according to research presented by Zunairah Shah, MBBS, a Fellow in Oncology/Hematology. Dr. Shah is the principal investigator for the study titled “GLP-1 therapy and hormone receptor-positive breast cancer risk and survival: A real-world analysis” (Abstract 10548, poster 509). She will elaborate on these findings on Monday, June 1st, between 1:30 and 4:30 p.m. CDT in Hall A. The presentation will delve into insights derived from a comprehensive analysis of real-world data involving non-diabetic, overweight/obese women without a prior breast cancer diagnosis, examining the potential association between GLP-1RA exposure and a reduced incidence of HR+/HER2− breast cancer, or enhanced overall survival post-diagnosis.
- While CAR T-cell therapy has revolutionized patient outcomes in hematologic malignancies and is beginning to demonstrate promise against solid tumors, significant impediments hinder patient enrollment in the clinical trials essential for scientific advancement. Rahul Thakur, MD, Chief Administrative Fellow in Hematology/Oncology, will address the dual challenges posed by geographical distribution and the limited number of institutions equipped to administer this sophisticated treatment. He is the lead author and presenter of “Assessment of CAR-T clinical trial availability and accessibility in the United States” (Abstract 1558, poster 308). Ehsan Malek, MD, an Associate Professor of Oncology and the Director of Multiple Myeloma Translational Research, serves as the senior author on this study, scheduled for presentation on Saturday, May 30th, from 9 a.m. to noon CDT in Hall A.
- Dr. Thakur is also the principal author of “Geographic accessibility of recruiting clinical trials for rare and common gastrointestinal malignancies in the United States” (Abstract 1540, poster 264). This research highlights that approximately 40 million adults reside in geographical areas with severely restricted access to clinical trials for gastrointestinal cancers. Archit Patel, DO, a Fellow in Hematology/Oncology, is slated to present this study on Saturday, May 30th, from 9 a.m. to noon CDT in Hall A.
- Jayasree Krishnan, MBBS, is the lead author of the study “CAR-T in the older adults: Real-world survival and toxicity in patients ≥ 75 years with relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma” (Abstract 7541, poster 420). This investigation focused on whether elderly patients aged 75 and above who underwent B-cell-directed CAR T-cell therapy experienced elevated rates of cytokine release syndrome or other adverse reactions. Dr. Krishnan is scheduled to present the team’s findings on Monday, June 1st, from 9 a.m. to noon CDT in Hall A. Hamza Hassan, MD, an Assistant Professor of Oncology, and Jens Hillengass, MD, PhD, a Professor of Oncology and Internal Medicine, both members of Roswell Park’s myeloma/amyloidosis team, are co-senior authors.
- The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) systems, specifically large language models, is becoming increasingly prevalent in breast cancer research for the synthesis and interpretation of vast datasets to aid diagnostic and therapeutic decision-making. While reproducible benchmarking serves as a crucial method for evaluating their precision, the application of this vital verification process has been limited to date. Mariam Haji Ahmad, MBBCh, a Fellow in Hematology/Oncology, will discuss her team’s comprehensive evaluation of four major large language models in the study titled “Standardized Exam-Style Benchmarking of Large Language Models in Breast Cancer Clinical Decision-Making” (Abstract 553, poster 38). Dr. Haji Ahmad, the lead author, will present this research on Monday, June 1st, from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. CDT in Hall A. Sheheryar Kabraji, BMBCh, Chief of Breast Medicine and Director of Breast Translational Research, is the senior author.
Dr. Eunice Wang Invited to Lead Discussion on FDA-Approved Agents for Relapsed/Refractory AML
Eunice Wang, MD, Chief of Leukemia, has been invited to deliver an opening-day presentation focusing on Ziftomenib and Revumenib for the treatment of Relapsed or Refractory Acute Myeloid Leukemia. This presentation will be part of the educational session “New Drugs in Oncology: Incorporation into Practice” on Friday, May 29th, from 3:45 to 3:55 p.m. CDT. Dr. Wang will provide an in-depth review of these recently FDA-approved therapies, offering clinicians critical information on appropriate dosages, potential side effects and their management, and other pertinent considerations. Notably, the FDA’s approval of ziftomenib for AML in patients with an NPM1 gene alteration was predicated on the outcomes of a clinical trial co-directed by Dr. Wang.
Five Fellows Recognized for Significant Research Contributions
Five Fellows from Roswell Park will be recipients of the 2026 ASCO Annual Meeting Merit Awards, conferred by Conquer Cancer, the ASCO Foundation. These accolades acknowledge their impactful research and contributions to the field of cancer care. All honorees are trainees who hold the distinction of being the first author on abstracts selected for presentation at the ASCO annual meeting: Vaishali Deenadayalan, MBBS; Yu Fujiwara, MD; Fayaz Aijaz Ahmed Khan, MBBS; Jayasree Krishnan, MBBS; and Zunairah Shah, MBBS.
Additional Featured Research from Roswell Park
Saturday, May 30, 9 a.m.-noon CDT, Hall A
- Mrinalini Ramesh, DO, a resident physician at the University at Buffalo/Roswell Park, is the lead author and presenter of “Hospital designation and survival disparities in young-onset gastrointestinal cancer” (Abstract 1535, poster 259).
Saturday, May 30, 1:30-4:30 p.m. CDT, Hall A
- Prantesh Jain, MD, FACP, an Assistant Professor of Oncology in the Department of Medicine, serves as the senior author for “A phase 1b, two-arm study of tolododekin alfa (ANK-101) in combination with an anti–PD-1/PD-L1 antibody in participants with advanced non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC)” (Abstract TPS2678, poster 461b).
- Fayaz Aijaz Ahmed Khan, MBBS, Chief Hospice and Palliative Care Fellow, is the principal author of “Prophylactic vs reactive PEG tube placement in early-stage head and neck (H&N) cancer treated with curative-intent radiotherapy: Balancing benefit and burden in real-world practice” (Abstract 12150, Poster 133). Rebecca Calabrese, MD, an Assistant Professor of Oncology in the Department of Internal Medicine and a Staff/Attending Physician in the Department of Supportive and Palliative Care, is the senior author.
Saturday, May 30, 4:30-6 p.m. CDT, E451
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Michael Wong, MD, PhD, FRPC, a Professor of Oncology, will deliver a rapid oral presentation on the abstract “A 3-year landmark overall survival analysis of RP1 plus nivolumab in patients with anti–PD-1–failed melanoma from the IGNYTE clinical trial” (Abstract 9518).
Michael Wong, MD, PhD, FRPC, Professor of Oncology, will present the rapid oral abstract titled “A 3-year landmark overall survival analysis of RP1 plus nivolumab in patients with anti–PD-1–failed melanoma from the IGNYTE clinical trial” (Abstract 9518).
Monday, June 1, 9 a.m.-noon CDT, Hall A
- Yu Fujiwara, MD, a Fellow in Hematology/Oncology, is the lead author of “Safety and efficacy of immunotherapy rechallenge in solid tumors after discontinuation of immune checkpoint inhibitors for immune-related adverse events: A systematic review and meta-analysis” (Abstract 11127, poster 110).
- Fayaz Aijaz Ahmed Khan, MBBS, Chief Hospice and Palliative Care Fellow, is the principal author of “Pre-lymphodepletion CRP and ferritin risk stratification as a predictor of early immune toxicities and hematologic complications after CAR-T therapy: A propensity-matched cohort study” (Abstract 7030, poster 528). Marco Davila, MD, PhD, Senior Vice President and Associate Director for Translational Research and Chief of Lymphoma/Multiple Myeloma, is the senior author.
Monday, June 1, 1:30-4:30 p.m. CDT, Hall A
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Vaishali Deenadayalan, MBBS, is the primary author and presenter of “Impact of protein–energy malnutrition on outcomes of metastatic triple-negative breast cancer patients receiving chemotherapy: A real-world analysis” (Abstract 1135, poster 249).
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Mariam Haji Ahmad, MBBCh, a Fellow in Hematology/Oncology, will present “Standardized Exam-Style Benchmarking of Large Language Models in Breast Cancer Clinical Decision-Making” (Abstract 553, poster 38). Sheheryar Kabraji, BMBCh, Chief of Breast Medicine and Director of Breast Translational Research, is the senior author.
- Olivia Martin, MD, MS, a Fellow in Surgical Oncology, is the lead author of “Cell proliferation, immune cell infiltration, and survival outcomes in sarcomas with high cancer-associated fibroblast expression” (Abstract 11541, poster 331). Ankit Patel, MD, Assistant Professor of Oncology in the Department of Surgical Oncology, is the senior author.
- Masanori Oshi, MD, a Postdoctoral Research Scholar in Breast Surgery, is the principal author of “ILCness to stratify lobular-like breast cancer biology and as an outcome independent of CDH1 mutation in early ER-positive/HER2-negative breast cancer” (Abstract 576, poster 61). Kazuaki Takabe, MD, PhD, FACS, FSSO, Chief of Breast Surgery, is the senior author.
- Zunairah Shah, MBBS, a Fellow in Hematology/Oncology, is the lead and presenting author of “Real-World Brain Metastasis Outcomes with Trastuzumab Deruxtecan (T-DXd) Versus Tucatinib-Based Therapy in Second-Line HER2-Positive Metastatic Breast Cancer” (Abstract 1051, poster 165). Sheheryar Kabraji, BMBCh, Chief of Breast Medicine and Director of Breast Translational Research, is the senior author.
Vaishali Deenadayalan, MBBS, is the primary author and presenter of “Impact of protein–energy malnutrition on outcomes of metastatic triple-negative breast cancer patients receiving chemotherapy: A real-world analysis” (Abstract 1135, poster 249).
Lung Surgeon Participating in NSF Innovation Corps Program
Thoracic surgeon Todd Demmy, MD, FACS, will be in attendance at ASCO 2026, actively engaging in the U.S. National Science Foundation’s Innovation Corps (I-Corps) program, an intensive entrepreneurial training initiative designed to facilitate the transition of novel innovations into tangible impacts.
