Beyond the Poster: GRASP Brings Patient Advocates and Researchers Together Around ASCO 2026
Every year, the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting brings together the global oncology community around some of the most important new developments in cancer research and care.
This year’s meeting delivered no shortage of consequential science. But for GRASP, the conversation doesn’t end when the conference does.
On June 11–12, GRASP brought patient advocates and scientists together virtually for our signature Poster Walkthroughs, creating small-group discussions around research presented at ASCO 2026. Across 19 sessions, advocates explored new findings with researchers, asking questions, sharing their expertise and considering what the science could mean for people living with cancer.
From biomarkers to AI: Digging into the science
The research explored during this year’s Poster Walkthroughs reflected just how quickly oncology is changing.
Participants discussed how artificial intelligence and molecular profiling might help predict cancer outcomes; how circulating tumor DNA and liquid biopsies could change the way cancer is monitored; and how biomarkers might help researchers better understand treatment response and resistance.
Other groups examined disparities in healthcare delivery, patient-reported outcomes and quality of life measures in clinical trials, emerging vaccine approaches, GLP-1 medications and cancer outcomes, and more.
The subjects were diverse, but the format was intentionally consistent: small groups where advocates could move beyond an abstract or headline and engage with scientists about how the research was conducted, what the findings mean, and where the work could go next.
For advocates at every level of experience
GRASP’s Poster Walkthroughs are designed to meet advocates wherever they are in their engagement with cancer research.
Some participants arrive with years of experience reading scientific abstracts, attending conferences and partnering with research teams. Others are encountering this kind of scientific discussion for the first time.
In fact, nearly one-third of respondents to GRASP’s post-ASCO survey said this was their first GRASP experience.
Their reasons for participating illustrate why creating accessible entry points into research matters. First-time advocates told us they joined to better understand cancer research and clinical trials, explore science related to their own diagnosis or treatment, and become better equipped to advocate for themselves and others.
And what they took away wasn’t simply a better understanding of a poster. Participants described learning more about how scientists develop hypotheses and determine next steps, how emerging technologies and treatments work, where disparities persist, and how patients and researchers can communicate more effectively.
For seasoned advocates, the same format offers something different: the opportunity to dig deeply into current research, challenge assumptions, and bring years of lived and advocacy experience into the discussion.
A breakthrough that captured ASCO 2026
One of the most talked-about moments of this year’s meeting came during the plenary presentation of the phase 3 RASolute 302 trial in metastatic pancreatic cancer.
The study evaluated daraxonrasib, a targeted therapy designed to inhibit RAS, a family of proteins that has historically been extremely difficult to target in cancer. For patients with previously treated metastatic pancreatic cancer, median overall survival was 13.2 months with daraxonrasib compared with 6.7 months with chemotherapy. The results prompted a rare standing ovation during the ASCO plenary session.
For a cancer where treatment advances have been especially difficult to achieve, the moment captured why meetings like ASCO matter: years of basic science, clinical research, and patient participation can ultimately lead to meaningful changes in care.
It also reinforces why patients belong in research conversations throughout the process. Through Poster Walkthroughs and GRASP’s broader work, advocates have opportunities not simply to hear about progress after it happens, but to understand the science, engage with the people conducting it, and bring their own expertise into the conversation about what comes next.
