Previewing 2026 ASCO GU: Insights on Personalized Care and Shared Decision-Making

As the 2026 ASCO Genitourinary (GU) Cancers Symposium approaches, we sat down with leading experts in genitourinary oncology to capture their perspectives on what patients should take away from the meeting and how these insights can inform shared decision-making. The discussion highlighted emerging strategies across kidney, bladder and prostate cancers, emphasizing the growing role of personalized, biomarker-driven care.

Dr. Emre Yekedüz, a medical oncologist at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and faculty member at Ankara University in Türkiye, emphasized that treatment decisions are becoming increasingly individualized. Biomarker testing, including circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA), PSMA imaging in prostate cancer, HER2 expression in bladder cancer and molecular alterations such as BRCA and PTEN mutations, is now central to guiding therapy selection. Patients should be aware of their disease stage, prior treatments and whether genomic testing has been conducted, enabling informed conversations with their oncologists about eligibility for targeted therapies, immunotherapies or clinical trials. According to Yekedüz, much of the data presented at the meeting will directly shape these discussions.

Dr. Chandler Park, of Norton Healthcare Institute, highlighted the importance of evaluating both survival outcomes and quality of life. Park urged patients to review side effect profiles of emerging therapies carefully, noting that what constitutes a “win” for clinicians in terms of survival may differ from patient priorities, which often emphasize tolerability and quality of life.

Dr. Guru P. Sonpavde, medical director of genitourinary oncology at AdventHealth Cancer Institute, underscored the role of clinical trials in advancing care. He encouraged patients to explore trial opportunities and for physicians to present trials alongside current standard-of-care options. Sonpavde noted that trial outcomes may not always align perfectly with individual patient circumstances, including comorbidities and performance status, reinforcing the need for personalized, shared decision making.

Finally, Dr. Michael Serzan of Dana-Farber Cancer Institute discussed emerging treatments for clear cell kidney cancer and urothelial cancers. He highlighted Welireg (belzutifan), a HIF-2α–directed therapy, and ongoing investigations into combining it with VEGF-targeted agents or using it in earlier disease settings. Serzan also noted the utility of ctDNA to tailor therapy intensity, either escalating treatment for positive patients or de-escalating for those negative, potentially sparing unnecessary interventions while optimizing outcomes.

Across the board, these experts emphasized that the 2026 ASCO GU Cancer Symposium will provide patients and clinicians with critical data to guide individualized care, underscore the importance of biomarkers and support informed, shared decision-making in the evolving landscape of genitourinary oncology.

For more news on cancer updates, research and education, don’t forget to subscribe to CURE®’s newsletters here.