ESMO 2025 opens in Berlin with over 30,000 oncologists
Over 30,000 researchers and oncologists from 149 countries and hundreds of studies mark the opening of the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) Congress today in Berlin. The event will spotlight the latest advancements in oncology and the future direction of cancer research, CE Report quotes ANSA.
Key themes include:
The growing role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in oncology,
The development of personalized therapeutic cancer vaccines, and
The optimization of therapies to reduce toxicity and ensure economic sustainability.
Experts emphasize that cancer research is increasingly focused on precision oncology, driven by biomarkers and AI. Several studies presented at ESMO explore AI-driven methods to:
Predict responses to immunotherapy,
Refine clinical trial design, and
Enhance treatment comparisons.
One major innovation is the rise of antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) — targeted drugs designed to deliver therapies directly to tumor cells.
New data will also be unveiled on personalized vaccines for advanced melanoma, especially for patients who respond poorly to current treatments.
"A very innovative study will be presented," explains ESMO President-elect Giuseppe Curigliano to ANSA. "Researchers isolated lymphocytes from the tumor bed and engineered them to recognize the tumor using two specific antigens. The study focuses on uveal melanoma, a rare cancer that still sees around 1,000 new cases per year in Italy."
Curigliano adds that other therapeutic vaccine trials are underway — one for melanoma and another for lung cancer. These customized vaccines are expected to have real clinical application in treating both.
