Breast Cancer Research Highlights from ASCO 2026

The 2026 ASCO Annual Meeting, which takes place from May 29 to June 2 in Chicago, attracts thousands of people engaged in all aspects of cancer research, care, and advocacy. The American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) is the world's leading professional organization for physicians and oncology professionals caring for people diagnosed with cancer. The organization aims to conquer cancer through research and education.

Breastcancer.org will be reporting on the latest breast cancer news from the ASCO conference, as well as podcasting with advocates and experts.

Much of the research will be announced at the conference, but some has been presented at pre-meeting media briefings, including studies on GLP-1 medicines and cancer and yoga for survivors.

People with stage I, II, or III lung, breast, colorectal or liver cancer, taking a GLP-1 medicine may have a lower risk of the disease progressing to stage IV than those not on a GLP-1, according to results presented during a 2026 ASCO Annual Meeting media briefing.

“This is an association, not a cause,” said lead study author Mark David Orland, MD, of the Cleveland Clinic. “It doesn’t apply to all patients and all cancers. But the results are provocative and provide early evidence that future studies are worth pursuing.”

Gentle Hatha yoga helped ease mood swings, anxiety, and fatigue in cancer survivors, all of which helped people sleep better, according to a study presented during a 2026 ASCO Annual Meeting media briefing. Among the 410 people in the Yoga for Cancer Survivors (YOCAS) study, 75% had been diagnosed with breast cancer.

“This … study shows that structured yoga may help relieve some of the most consistently reported and hard-to-treat issues in cancer survivorship, leading to decreased insomnia. It’s an important advance because it offers survivors … a non-pharmaceutical solution for reducing four different side effects at once,” said Fumiko Chino, MD, associate professor of breast radiation oncology at MD Anderson Cancer Center about the results.

Early results from the Breast Cancer Weight Loss (BWEL) study found that among people with early-stage breast cancer and obesity, a structured, phone-based weight loss program helped them move and feel better.

“These findings show not only that weight loss provides meaningful benefits for people who have both breast cancer and obesity, but also that this can be achieved in thousands of patients enrolled across many kinds of oncology practices,” lead author Jennifer Ligibel, MD, said during a media briefing. “We need to stop viewing lifestyle interventions as add-ons and integrate them into care.”

Ligibel, who is director of the Leonard P. Zakim Center for Integrative Therapies and Healthy Living at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, will discuss the results in more detail during an episode of The Breastcancer.org Podcast at the 2026 ASCO Annual Meeting.