CancerCast

The American Society of Clinical Oncology, or ASCO, Annual Meeting is the world’s largest oncology conference. The meeting brings together cancer experts, thought leaders and professionals from around the world to present groundbreaking research that is changing patient care and moving the field forward.

Drs. Manish Shah and David Nanus discuss some of the most impactful research presented at the 2026 ASCO Annual Meeting. They explore practice-changing advances across a wide range of cancer types, including prostate, pancreatic, lung, kidney, bladder, and colon cancers. Topics include novel targeted therapies such as KRAS and RET inhibitors, emerging radiopharmaceutical treatments, the critical and growing role of tumor sequencing, and the use of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) testing and minimal residual disease (MRD) monitoring to guide treatment decisions. The conversation also examines advances in precision medicine, adjuvant therapy strategies, global trends in cancer drug development, and the importance of research funding in developing new treatments for patients.

Guest: David Nanus, MD, Interim Chief, Division of Hematology and Medical Oncology and genitourinary (GU) cancer physician at Weill Cornell Medicine and NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital.

Host: Manish Shah, MD, Chief of Solid Tumor Service and Director of Gastrointestinal Oncology at Weill Cornell Medicine and NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital.

Thanks to advances in cancer care, more people are living longer after a cancer diagnosis than ever before. People are also being diagnosed at earlier ages, leading to an increased number of cancer survivors worldwide. In this episode of CancerCast, Dr. Manish Shah speaks with Dr. Emily Tonorezos about the growing field of cancer survivorship and what it means to live well after a cancer diagnosis. Cancer is a chronic condition that requires unique management and continued care. They discuss some of the late effects of cancer treatment that can sometimes persist well after active treatment is completed, like fatigue, neuropathy, fertility, accelerated aging, heart health, emotional well-being, and overall quality of life. The conversation also explores how exercise, nutrition, and other lifestyle habits may help cancer survivors improve general wellness and reduce the long-term health risks of cancer treatment, including risk of secondary cancers or cancer recurrence. Learn more about the goals of cancer survivorship care plans, what researchers are discovering about life after cancer, and why survivorship is becoming one of the fastest-growing areas in cancer care.

Guest: Emily Tonorezos, MD, MPH, Director of the Iris Cantor Cancer Survivorship Program at Weill Cornell Medicine.

Host: Manish Shah, MD, Chief of Solid Tumor Service and Director of Gastrointestinal Oncology at Weill Cornell Medicine and NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital.

As we age, our blood cells naturally develop mutations. With new sequencing technology, we can now identify very rare and specific mutations in human blood more easily and precisely than ever before. It’s like we now have a path to find the needle in a haystack. Researchers have discovered that some of these age-related blood mutations, collectively known as clonal hematopoiesis, may be linked to increased risk of blood cancer, heart disease, stroke, and chronic inflammation.

In this episode of CancerCast, Drs. Manish Shah and Pinkal Desai explain what clonal hematopoiesis is and why clonal hematopoiesis of indeterminant potential or “CHIP” is being detected more often through advanced blood testing and multi-cancer early detection (MCED) blood tests. They break down what patients should understand if these mutations appear in liquid biopsy results or screening tests and explain why certain patients should consider being monitored for these mutations.

Research into clonal hematopoiesis and CHIP is raising important questions about cancer risk, prevention, and long-term monitoring for cardiovascular and inflammatory diseases. The conversation explores potential health consequences of these blood mutations, the connection between the heart and blood, as well as why CHIP can worsen existing health conditions from autoimmune disorders to gout and beyond. Focused CHIP research efforts are underway to try to better detect and prevent blood cancers such as leukemia and myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS), as well as to intervene earlier for healthy and optimal aging.

Guest: Pinkal Desai, MD, Clinical Director, Englander Institute for Precision Medicine Molecular Aging Institute and hematologist/oncologist caring for patients with leukemia and other blood cancers at Weill Cornell Medicine and NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital.

Host: Manish Shah, MD, Chief of Solid Tumor Service and Director of Gastrointestinal Oncology at Weill Cornell Medicine and NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital.

Lung cancer care is changing rapidly and new advances in surgery and medicine are at the forefront. In this episode of CancerCast, Dr. Manish Shah is joined by two lung cancer experts, Drs. Jonathan Villena and Christine Garcia, to explore how innovations in surgery, biomarker testing, targeted therapy, and immunotherapy are transforming outcomes for patients with lung cancer. The conversation covers the importance of early detection through screening, as well as new tests, tools and technologies to ensure lung cancer patients are getting the right treatment at the right time. From cutting-edge single port robotic surgeries that avoid the ribs and preserve healthy lung tissue to personalized, targeted therapies rooted in the molecular footprint of each tumor, options and outcomes for patients with lung cancer continue to drastically improve. The team discusses everything from reducing recovery time after an operation, to optimizing results with novel therapies, and the importance of a multidisciplinary care team to ensure patients have the best possible treatment and outcomes.

Guests: Christine Garcia, MD, MPH, medical oncologist caring for lung cancer patients at Weill Cornell Medicine and NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital.

Jonathan Villena-Vargas, MD, cardiothoracic surgeon at Weill Cornell Medicine and NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital.

Host: Manish Shah, MD, Chief of Solid Tumor Service and Director of Gastrointestinal Oncology at Weill Cornell Medicine and NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital.

Bispecific T-cell engager, or BiTE, therapy is an immunotherapy approach that helps the body’s own immune system target cancer cells by bringing immune cells and cancer cells together. In this episode of CancerCast, Dr. Manish Shah is joined by Dr. Mateo Mejia to explain how this form of antibody-based treatment works by directly connecting T cells and cancer cells. It is a new treatment in the arsenal of immunotherapy to treat cancer. They explore common side effects, as well as similarities and differences between BiTEs and other forms of immunotherapy. BiTE immunotherapy prevents cancer cells from being able to hide from the natural immune system, helping it to better recognize and attack the cancer. BiTEs are becoming an important treatment tool for several cancers, including multiple myeloma, lymphoma, lung cancer, and uveal melanoma. Drs. Shah and Mejia discuss the future direction and expansion of BiTE therapy, including ongoing research to bring these treatments to patients earlier in their cancer treatment journeys.

Guest: Mateo Mejia Saldarriaga, MD, Assistant Professor of Medicine in the Division of Hematology and Medical Oncology at Weill Cornell Medicine and an Assistant Attending Physician at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital.

Host: Manish Shah, MD, Chief of Solid Tumor Service and Director of Gastrointestinal Oncology at Weill Cornell Medicine and NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital.