ROCHESTER, Minn. — Mayo Clinic Comprehensive Cancer Center scientists, physicians and trainees will present nearly 60 studies on emerging cancer therapies, diagnostics and prevention strategies at the 2026 American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Annual Meeting, April 17–22 at the San Diego Convention Center. The meeting is a premier forum for the global cancer research community to share the latest advances in cancer science and medicine.  

Mayo Clinic presentations will highlight advances in tumor biology, outcomes and risk prediction, as well as new treatment strategies and practice-changing studies in breast, colorectal, brain and prostate cancers.

Discoveries at the meeting include:

Poster Session: Immune Cell Biology and Tumor-Immune Crosstalk
Presentation time: April 19, 2–5 p.m. PDT
Poster title: Rewiring the dendritic cell: Regulatory T cell axis sensitizes prostate cancer to immunotherapy
Description: The study investigates whether increasing the number and functionality of dendritic cells simultaneously with Treg depletion is effective in overcoming the distinctly "cold" prostate tumor microenvironment. The findings have the potential to yield new immunotherapeutic approaches for prostate cancer treatment.
Presenter: Casey Ager, Ph.D., assistant professor of immunology

Poster Session: Biomarkers Predictive of Therapeutic Benefit 2
Presentation time: April 19, 2–5 p.m. PDT
Poster title: Blinded clinical validation of LiquidTME, a cell-free DNA assay for predicting response to immunotherapy by noninvasively profiling the tumor microenvironment
Description: Researchers show that using a practical liquid biopsy approach to profile the tumor microenvironment can predict immunotherapy response in melanoma patients.
Presenter: Aadel Chaudhuri, M.D., professor of radiation oncology

Poster Session: Molecular Imaging, Radiomics, and Theranostics
Presentation time: April 20, 9 a.m.–noon PDT
Poster title: Prospective evaluation of 68Ga-PSMA PET imaging in advanced hepatocellular carcinoma patients undergoing first-line immunotherapy 
Description: The study evaluated whether new imaging markers from a specialized scan (PSMA PET/CT) could help track how well patients with advanced liver cancer respond to their first immunotherapy treatment.
Presenter: Nguyen Tran, M.D., associate professor of oncology

Poster Session: CAR-T Cell Targets and TME Reprogramming
Presentation time: April 20, 9 a.m.–12 p.m. PDT
Poster title: Optimized CAR-T cell therapy to remodel the tumor microenvironment and eliminate GI malignancies
Description: Scientists developed a more precise chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy (CAR-T therapy) with a built-in "on switch" that can safely break through a protective barrier in solid tumors and attack the cancer. This strategy could offer a new and more effective way to treat advanced gastrointestinal cancers.
Presenter: Omar Gutierrez Ruiz, Ph.D., research fellow in hematology; Principal investigator: Saad Kenderian, M.B., Ch.B., associate professor of oncology

Oral Presentation Session: Biomarkers That Change Management: Predicting Therapy Benefit, Progression, and Metastatic Risk
Presentation time: April 20, 3:20–3:35 p.m. PDT
Presentation title: Stromal immune composition significantly contributes to adenomatous polyp recurrence or progression to cancer
Description: The study findings show that the environment surrounding colon polyps, including immune cells and supportive tissue, plays a role in why polyps can return after removal and develop into colorectal cancer. The findings could be key to developing more effective prevention strategies.
Presenter: Mrunal Dehankar, senior bioinformatician; Principal investigator: Lisa Boardman, M.D., professor of medicine

Poster Session: Biomarkers Predictive of Therapeutic Benefit 5
Presentation time: April 21, 9 a.m.–noon PDT
Poster title: Molecular correlates of progression-free survival in recurrent gliomas treated with pembrolizumab
Description: The study aimed to identify molecular predictors of progression-free survival (PFS) in recurrent glioma patients treated with pembrolizumab. The drug showed limited overall efficacy, but exploratory analyses identified several subtype-specific genomic alterations that may correlate with PFS. The findings highlight the potential influence of underlying tumor biology on immunotherapy response and warrant further validation in larger, prospective cohorts.
Presenter: Shameel Shafqat, M.B.B.S, visiting research fellow; Principal investigator: Sani Kizilbash, M.D., associate professor of oncology

Poster Session: Vaccines and Other Immunomodulatory Agents
Presentation time: April 21, 2–5 p.m. PDT
Poster title: Safety, tolerability, and early immune responses in the safety run-in of an HER2 multi-epitope vaccine combined with T-DM1 in residual HER2-positive breast cancer
Description: The first study to demonstrate that a cancer vaccine can be delivered concurrently with an antibody-drug conjugate without increasing adverse effects while still eliciting robust T-cell responses. 
Presenter: Saranya Chumsri, M.D., associate professor of medicine

Poster Session: Tumor Microenvironment, Multispecifics, and Immunomodulation
Presentation time: April 21, 2–5 p.m. PDT
Poster title: Combined KRAS pathway inhibition and liposomal irinotecan treatment enhances tumor regression, attenuates desmoplasia, and augments T cell infiltration in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma
Description: Researchers discovered a dual-drug combination that shrank tumors and helped break down the tumor's protective barrier, allowing the body's immune system to better attack the cancer. The approach improved survival in preclinical studies, pointing to a promising new treatment strategy for pancreatic cancer.
Presenter: Hari Krishnareddy Rachamala, Ph.D., assistant professor of biochemistry and molecular biology

Poster Session: Functional and Spatial Regulation of Immune Evasion and Anti-Tumor Immunity
Presentation time: April 22, 9 a.m.–noon PDT
Poster title: A cancer cell-intrinsic PAR1/MALT1/PD-L1 signaling pathway drives immune evasion in triple-negative breast cancer
Description: The study uncovers a signaling pathway that allows triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) cells to evade attack by the immune system. The researchers characterized the signaling pathway and found a druggable target. These findings reveal a previously unrecognized mechanism of immune evasion and provide a framework for developing new therapeutic strategies for TNBC.
Presenter: Dong Hu, Ph.D., research scientist; Co-principal investigators: Linda McAllister, M.D. Ph.D., professor of pediatrics, Peter Lucas, M.D., Ph.D., professor of laboratory medicine and pathology

For more information, visit AACR.

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About Mayo Clinic Comprehensive Cancer Center 
Designated as a comprehensive cancer center by the National Cancer Institute, Mayo Clinic Comprehensive Cancer Center is defining the cancer center of the future, focused on delivering the world's most exceptional patient-centered cancer care for everyone. At Mayo Clinic Comprehensive Cancer Center, a culture of innovation and collaboration is driving research breakthroughs in cancer detection, prevention and treatment to change lives.

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• Julie Ferris-Tillman, Ph.D., Mayo Clinic Communications, newsbureau@mayo.edu

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