Federico Iori, Slavisa Tubin, Waleed F. Mourad, Marco Durante, Yolanda Prezado, Pedro C. Lara, Andrea Botti, Xiaodong Wu, Matthias Guckenberger, on behalf of the ESTRO Focus Group
{"title":"The future is not always uniform: rethinking radiotherapy through spatial fractionation","authors":"Federico Iori, Slavisa Tubin, Waleed F. Mourad, Marco Durante, Yolanda Prezado, Pedro C. Lara, Andrea Botti, Xiaodong Wu, Matthias Guckenberger, on behalf of the ESTRO Focus Group","doi":"10.1038/s41571-026-01161-y","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41571-026-01161-y","url":null,"abstract":"Radiotherapy has traditionally been guided by the principle that uniform delivery of a tumoricidal dose across the entire target volume maximizes local control. However, this paradigm becomes increasingly constrained in the setting of large, bulky or anatomically complex tumours, in which non-malignant tissue tolerances often preclude homogeneous dose escalation. Spatially fractionated radiotherapy (SFRT) has emerged as a complementary approach that introduces intentional intratumoural dose heterogeneity as an alternative therapeutic strategy when uniform irradiation is not feasible. SFRT involves the delivery of radiation as high-dose ‘peaks’ interspersed with lower-dose ‘valleys’, creating spatial domains that combine focal tumoricidal exposures with partial preservation of vascular, stromal and immune-related functions within the tumour microenvironment. Preclinical investigations and early clinical studies suggest that such architectures might be associated with rapid volumetric tumour regression, acceptable toxicity profiles and modulation of the tumour immune microenvironment, although the underlying mechanisms, generalizability and durability of these effects remain incompletely defined. In this Review, we summarize the conceptual foundations, biological hypotheses and clinical activity of SFRT, spanning macroscopic approaches such as GRID and lattice radiotherapy, biology-guided strategies and submillimetric implementations using minibeams and microbeams. We also highlight key translational and methodological limitations and discuss various challenges relating to dosimetry, biologically meaningful response assessments, patient selection and multicentre reproducibility. Traditional radiotherapy approaches involve the delivery of a uniform radiation dose to the entire tumour. Despite considerable effectiveness, this approach comes with the limitations of a lack of activity against larger tumour volumes as well as off-target irradiation of surrounding non-malignant tissues. Spatially fractionated radiotherapy, involving deliberate non-uniform irradiation, has the potential to address these challenges, with early data suggesting safety and activity in patients with advanced-stage cancers. In this Review, the authors describe the emerging role of spatially fractionated radiotherapy in the management of patients with cancer.","PeriodicalId":19079,"journal":{"name":"Nature Reviews Clinical Oncology","volume":"23 9","pages":"656-671"},"PeriodicalIF":94.6,"publicationDate":"2026-06-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148218791","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Josep M. Llovet, Ezequiel Mauro, Lorenza Rimassa, Vincenzo Mazzaferro, Matthias Pinter, Robin Kate Kelley, Stephen L. Chan, Laura Kulik, Anjana Pillai, Lewis Roberts, Bruno Sangro, Teresa Casanovas, David E. Kaplan, Arndt Vogel, Mark Yarchoan, Richard S. Finn, Tim Meyer, Amit G. Singal
{"title":"Trial design and end points in hepatocellular carcinoma: an EASL–AASLD–ILCA consensus statement","authors":"Josep M. Llovet, Ezequiel Mauro, Lorenza Rimassa, Vincenzo Mazzaferro, Matthias Pinter, Robin Kate Kelley, Stephen L. Chan, Laura Kulik, Anjana Pillai, Lewis Roberts, Bruno Sangro, Teresa Casanovas, David E. Kaplan, Arndt Vogel, Mark Yarchoan, Richard S. Finn, Tim Meyer, Amit G. Singal","doi":"10.1038/s41571-026-01160-z","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41571-026-01160-z","url":null,"abstract":"The management of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has undergone radical change over the past decade. Immunotherapies now dominate the treatment of advanced-stage disease and are increasingly being evaluated in perioperative and intermediate-stage settings. However, in some instances, positive phase III trials have not translated into adoption by guidelines or regulatory agencies, highlighting the need to harmonize and update the current standards for trial design and end points. In response to these challenges, four scientific societies — the European Association for the Study of the Liver (EASL), the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD), the International Liver Cancer Association (ILCA) and the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) — appointed representatives to develop a consensus recommendations document addressing current unmet needs and future challenges in HCC trial design and end points. Through a modified Delphi process, 102 consensus statements were developed across several distinct domains: surveillance; early-stage, intermediate-stage and advanced-stage disease; transplant-related contexts; regulatory considerations; and emerging topics. The document rigorously defines target populations, stratification factors, control arms and benchmarks for expected clinical benefit. Collectively, this consensus is intended to provide a dynamic, evidence-based, multisociety roadmap for optimizing trial design, accelerating therapeutic development and improving clinically meaningful outcomes in patients with HCC. Despite considerable improvements in the outcomes in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), many outstanding research questions remain unanswered. Furthermore, significant findings from successful phase III trials have not always been translated into guideline-recommended therapies, implying a need for improved standardization of trial end points. In this Consensus Statement, representatives of four major societies (the European Association for the Study of the Liver (EASL), the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD), the International Liver Cancer Association (ILCA) and the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO)) convened to provide guidance on end point selection for clinical trials conducted in various settings including surveillance, and early-stage, intermediate-stage and advanced-stage HCC.","PeriodicalId":19079,"journal":{"name":"Nature Reviews Clinical Oncology","volume":"23 8","pages":"619-647"},"PeriodicalIF":94.6,"publicationDate":"2026-06-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.nature.comhttps://www.nature.com/articles/s41571-026-01160-z.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148218766","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"RECITE this mantra in chemotherapy-induced thrombocytopenia: treat patients, not platelets","authors":"Javier-David Benitez-Fuentes, Laure-Anne Teuwen, Bishal Gyawali","doi":"10.1038/s41571-026-01170-x","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41571-026-01170-x","url":null,"abstract":"Recent data from the RECITE trial indicating that the thrombopoietin receptor agonist romiplostim ameliorates chemotherapy-induced thrombocytopenia offer hope for the first drug treatment for this condition. However, the ultimate goal is not to improve platelet counts but patient outcomes, and RECITE does not offer evidence of survival or quality-of-life benefits that truly matter to patients.","PeriodicalId":19079,"journal":{"name":"Nature Reviews Clinical Oncology","volume":"23 8","pages":"562-563"},"PeriodicalIF":94.6,"publicationDate":"2026-06-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148211918","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Realizing the benefits of tumour-agnostic access requires a national health learning system","authors":"Samuel X. Stevens, Deme J. Karikios","doi":"10.1038/s41571-026-01167-6","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41571-026-01167-6","url":null,"abstract":"The Australian Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee’s decision to allow tumour-agnostic reimbursement of nivolumab and ipilimumab is a bold experiment that involves a considerable level of risk-sharing between government, industry, clinicians and patients. The central policy challenge now is whether Australia has sufficient infrastructure and initiative to convert this access into timely and decision-relevant evidence. Reimbursement that accelerates access despite uncertainty carries an obligation to learn.","PeriodicalId":19079,"journal":{"name":"Nature Reviews Clinical Oncology","volume":"23 8","pages":"560-561"},"PeriodicalIF":94.6,"publicationDate":"2026-06-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148205668","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Ghulam Rehman Mohyuddin, Edward R. Scheffer Cliff, Rajshekhar Chakraborty
{"title":"Does ciltacabtagene autoleucel have a future in multiple myeloma?","authors":"Ghulam Rehman Mohyuddin, Edward R. Scheffer Cliff, Rajshekhar Chakraborty","doi":"10.1038/s41571-026-01159-6","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41571-026-01159-6","url":null,"abstract":"Ciltacabtagene autoleucel (cilta-cel) has transformed the outcomes of patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma, yet its toxicity profile — spanning acute and delayed-onset neurotoxicity, secondary malignancies, immune effector-cell colitis, infections and prolonged cytopenias — has emerged slowly. As safer alternatives become available, the risk–benefit calculus for cilta-cel demands urgent reassessment, particularly in earlier lines of therapy.","PeriodicalId":19079,"journal":{"name":"Nature Reviews Clinical Oncology","volume":"23 9","pages":"649-651"},"PeriodicalIF":94.6,"publicationDate":"2026-06-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148205678","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"First-line zanidatamab–chemotherapy with or without tislelizumab improves survival in advanced-stage HER2+ GEA","authors":"Diana Romero","doi":"10.1038/s41571-026-01169-4","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41571-026-01169-4","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":19079,"journal":{"name":"Nature Reviews Clinical Oncology","volume":"23 7","pages":"476-476"},"PeriodicalIF":94.6,"publicationDate":"2026-06-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148150696","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Current evidence and future directions for KIM-1 as a blood-based biomarker in RCC","authors":"Wenxin Xu, Joseph V. Bonventre, Toni K. Choueiri","doi":"10.1038/s41571-026-01163-w","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41571-026-01163-w","url":null,"abstract":"Kidney injury molecule-1 (KIM-1) is overexpressed in renal cell carcinoma (RCC), and consistent shedding of this cell-surface protein into the circulation makes it a promising blood-based biomarker for this disease. Herein, we outline potential roles of circulating KIM-1 in diagnosis, prognostication and therapeutic monitoring of RCC, as well as research priorities for clinical translation of this biomarker.","PeriodicalId":19079,"journal":{"name":"Nature Reviews Clinical Oncology","volume":"23 8","pages":"557-559"},"PeriodicalIF":94.6,"publicationDate":"2026-05-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147982521","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}