Four emerging layers of clinical complexity in oncology, and what they mean for Medical Affairs

Author(s): Maddy Pope and Jill Condello

ASCO 2026 was defined by one core theme: The beauty and complexity of abundance. Across nearly every tumor type and mechanism class, the meeting delivered more options. New ways to hit old targets, previously undruggable biology becoming actionable, and a rapidly expanding combination landscape. The excitement was plentiful, but so was the honest conversation about the gap between the promise of science and the reality of clinical decision-making.

With each new available option, new layers of complexity are added. More sequencing decisions, more toxicity management demands, and more complexity for clinicians, patients, and payers. Medical Affairs has a defining role to play in unraveling this complexity and paving the way for new options to reach the patients who can benefit from them.

So, what new layers emerged this year? Four key trends we spotted.