The emerging role of precision medicine in the treatment of endometrial cancer

Abstract

ABSTRACT Introduction: Uterine cancer is the most common gynecologic malignancy with a high cure rate for early stage disease. Surgical and standard chemotherapy have provided modest results. Precision therapies targeting molecular pathways have recently produced encouraging results. Areas covered: This paper describes molecular pathways including PI3 K/AKT/mTor, VEGF, and angiogenesis, HER2/neu and EGFR, various endocrine therapies (including megace, medroxyprogesterone acetate, tamoxifen, letrozole, and anastrozole) and immune checkpoint inhibitors. An extensive literature search was completed including but not limited to PubMed, Google Scholar, and the studies conducted by the Gynecologic Oncology Group (GOG), to identify all relevant clinical trials opened to assess clinical benefit in patients with advanced endometrial cancer. Expert commentary: Molecular characterization of tumors provides an opportunity to tailor therapy to individual patients. With continual innovation, eventually real-time changes in treatment regimens can be made for individual patients to treat the ever-changing molecular landscape of the tumor. Immunotherapy remains the most promising treatment for advanced endometrial cancers.