When new research is presented at a major conference like the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting, the headlines often focus on breakthrough treatments, clinical trial results, and emerging technologies. But for people living with colorectal cancer, the questions are often more personal.
Will this improve treatment options? Will it help prevent recurrence? Will insurance cover it? And what about the side effects and challenges that continue long after treatment ends?
Ahead of ASCO 2026, Fight CRC invited members of our community to share the topics they hoped researchers would address. While not every question received a definitive answer, the meeting offered important insights into several areas patients continue to prioritize.
Precision Medicine Continues to Advance
One of the clearest themes from ASCO 2026 was the continued evolution of precision medicine. Researchers presented new data exploring how biomarkers can help guide treatment decisions and identify which therapies are most likely to benefit individual patients.
Circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) remained a major area of focus. Ongoing studies continue to evaluate how ctDNA can help identify recurrence risk after surgery and potentially guide treatment decisions. While questions remain about insurance coverage and implementation, the field continues to move toward more personalized approaches to care.
For patients, the takeaway is clear: comprehensive biomarker testing is becoming increasingly important throughout the colorectal cancer journey.
New Opportunities for KRAS- and BRAF-Driven Cancers
Research focused on KRAS and BRAF mutations continues to gain momentum.
Updated findings from the BREAKWATER study reinforced the growing role of targeted therapies for patients with BRAF V600E metastatic colorectal cancer. Researchers are also exploring next-generation approaches aimed at improving outcomes and overcoming treatment resistance.
Meanwhile, the pipeline for KRAS-targeted therapies continues to expand. Once considered “undruggable,” KRAS has become one of the most active areas in colorectal cancer research, with multiple therapies and combination strategies currently under investigation.
While many of these approaches remain in clinical trials, they represent meaningful progress for patients whose tumors carry these mutations.
Researchers Continue Searching for Answers in MSS Disease
Many patients continue to ask about immunotherapy for microsatellite stable (MSS) colorectal cancer, which represents the majority of colorectal cancer cases.
Although ASCO 2026 did not deliver a new immunotherapy standard for MSS disease, researchers presented several studies exploring ways to make immunotherapy more effective through combination approaches and novel treatment strategies.
Progress may be slower than patients and clinicians would like, but MSS colorectal cancer remains a major focus of ongoing research.
Survivorship Is Part of the Research Conversation
Patients consistently tell us that surviving cancer is only part of the story. Living well after treatment matters, too.
Throughout ASCO, discussions increasingly reflected the need for more research focused on neuropathy, bowel dysfunction, fatigue, and other long-term effects of treatment. While survivorship research still receives less attention than drug development, there is growing recognition that quality of life should be considered alongside traditional measures like response rates and survival.
As more people live longer with and beyond colorectal cancer, understanding the long-term impact of treatment will become increasingly important.
Progress Requires Access
Many of the advances discussed at ASCO depend on a patient’s ability to access testing, treatment, and clinical trials.
Whether discussing ctDNA, precision medicine, Lynch syndrome surveillance, or emerging therapies, access remains a critical issue. Scientific innovation only benefits patients when it is available, affordable, and supported by healthcare systems and insurance coverage.
That is why advocacy remains essential—not only to advance research, but also to ensure patients can benefit from the progress being made.
Looking Ahead
ASCO 2026 reinforced several encouraging trends in colorectal cancer research. Precision medicine continues to expand, targeted therapies are creating new opportunities for patients with specific biomarkers, researchers remain committed to improving outcomes for MSS disease, and survivorship is receiving greater attention.
While many questions remain, one thing is clear: the priorities of the colorectal cancer community continue to shape the future of research.
At Fight CRC, we remain committed to elevating patient voices and translating emerging science into meaningful information for the community we serve.