Spotlight On: Five key oncology stories to watch in 2026

Antibody‑drug conjugates (ADCs) are expected to expand from late‑line to earlier, potentially curative settings across breast, lung, and urothelial cancers, supported by data such as DESTINY‑Breast05 and TROPION‑Breast02, and HER2‑targeted ADC plus immunotherapy combinations that outperform platinum chemotherapy.1 4

Novel immuno‑oncology and cell therapies, including next‑generation CAR‑T/CAR‑NK, tumor‑infiltrating lymphocyte (TIL) and TCR‑engineered T‑cell products, are progressing into solid tumors and hematologic malignancies, and may see additional approvals or niche indications in 2026.1 6

Radiopharmaceuticals and radioligand therapies are gaining traction as precision oncology tools, delivering targeted radiation with high accuracy (e.g., in prostate and neuroendocrine tumors) and enabling real‑time imaging‑guided treatment adjustment.1 3

Molecular and digital precision tools—including liquid biopsy/ctDNA monitoring, spatial biology, and AI models that integrate clinical data and imaging—are moving into clinical trials and care pathways to guide therapy selection, predict immunotherapy response, and monitor minimal residual disease.1 2 3

Key regulatory inflection points in early 2026 include multiple oncology FDA decisions (such as tabelecleucel for EBV‑positive post‑transplant lymphoproliferative disease and pembrolizumab for platinum‑resistant ovarian cancer), which could redefine standards of care for select solid tumors and rare hematologic malignancies.5 8