By: Dr. Avi Verma

The global spotlight on cancer care once again turned to Chicago this June, as over 44,000 oncologists, researchers, and pharmaceutical leaders gathered at McCormick Place for the 2025 Annual Meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO). This year, two transformative breakthroughs drew standing ovations from medical experts—each one signaling a significant shift in how cancer might be treated in the years to come.

Exercise as a prescribed treatment for colon cancer

In one of the most discussed presentations at ASCO 2025, Canadian researchers unveiled findings from the CHALLENGE Trial, a nearly two-decade-long study involving 889 patients with high-risk Stage II and III colon cancer.

The trial compared two groups of patients who had completed surgery and chemotherapy. One group received standard health guidance. The other followed a structured exercise program with the help of physical therapists and trainers, committing to activities like brisk walking for 45–60 minutes, multiple times a week, over a period of three years.

The results were stunning:

• 37% lower risk of death in the exercise group.
• 28% lower risk of cancer recurrence.
• Five-year disease-free survival: 80% with exercise vs. 74% without.
• Eight-year overall survival: 90% with exercise vs. 83% in the control group.

As Dr. Christopher Booth, one of the lead investigators, explained:

“For every 14 patients who followed the exercise plan, one life was saved. This is equivalent—or in some cases, better—than the benefits of chemotherapy.”

The trial drew standing applause at ASCO, as it firmly elevated exercise from a general health recommendation to a prescription-level intervention with tangible survival benefits. Experts now call for oncology centers to begin integrating exercise prescriptions into routine cancer care, especially for survivors.

Immunotherapy moves upstream: A new frontier in early-stage cancers

Another paradigm-shifting development at ASCO 2025 came from AstraZeneca, whose immunotherapy drug Imfinzi (durvalumab) showed striking success in the treatment of early-stage gastric and gastroesophageal junction (GEJ) cancers.

Findings from the MATTERHORN trial, a late-stage Phase III study, revealed:

• When Imfinzi was combined with chemotherapy after surgery, event-free survival rose to 67.4% versus 58.5% in the chemotherapy-only group.
• That’s a 29% reduction in the risk of cancer progression, recurrence, or death.

Crucially, this was achieved without compromising surgical recovery or safety, making it one of the most promising applications of immunotherapy in early-stage gastrointestinal cancers to date.

With these results, Imfinzi could soon become the first immunotherapy used perioperatively (around the time of surgery) for stomach and GEJ cancers, offering patients a less toxic and more durable treatment alternative.

Why these breakthroughs matter

The two headline findings from ASCO 2025 are significant not just for their individual successes, but for what they represent together—a new era of holistic and personalized cancer care.

These findings are especially important for younger patients and long-term survivors, where reducing the lifelong damage from toxic treatments (like nerve damage or infertility) is increasingly a top priority.

The future of cancer care is changing

With more focus on quality of life, long-term survivorship, and patient-driven care, oncology is evolving. The future now includes:

• Exercise physiologists working alongside oncologists.
• Lifestyle interventions as core components of survivorship programs.
• Targeted immunotherapies entering earlier treatment windows to improve chances of cure.

As these discoveries begin to shape policy and practice, IndoUS Tribune remains committed to covering innovations that offer hope, dignity, and healing to patients and families facing cancer.

Stay well. Stay informed. Stay inspired.