Endometrial Cancer

Endometrial cancer (EC) is the only gynecologic malignancy with rising incidence and declining survival rates over the past four decades, posing an urgent and growing threat to women's health worldwide. Alfa Cytology is a global leader in cancer research. With our extensive experience and advanced technology platforms, we are well-positioned to provide optimal solutions for endometrial cancer.

Introduction to Endometrial Cancer

Endometrial cancer (EC) is a malignancy that arises from the endometrium, the inner lining of the uterus. It is the most common gynecologic malignancy in the United States, with both incidence and mortality rates steadily increasing. Approximately 66,000 new cases and 13,000 deaths are estimated annually. Endometrial cancer is the only cancer with a declining 5-year survival rate over the past 40 years, from 87% in 1975–1977 to 81% in 2013–2019, underscoring the critical need for more effective treatment strategies.

The heterogeneous nature of endometrial cancer contributes to varied clinical outcomes with current therapeutic approaches. Major histological subtypes include endometrioid carcinoma (75–80%), serous carcinoma (10%), clear cell carcinoma (5%), carcinosarcoma (3–5%), and dedifferentiated carcinoma (5%), each exhibiting distinct molecular profiles and clinical behaviors.

Fig. 1 The molecular mechanisms involved in the occurrence and evolution of endometrial cancer. (Bostan IS, et al.; 2024)

Epitope and Target of Endometrial Cancer

The ability of the immune system to distinguish self from non-self forms the basis of all immunotherapeutic interventions. Epitopes are essential to this discrimination process, as they enable presenting molecules to continuously monitor protein expression both inside and outside the cell. Therefore, the identification of tumor epitopes and targets in endometrial cancer is critical for the development of precision medicine and immunotherapeutic strategies. Potential epitopes or targets in endometrial cancer may include the following:

Therapy Development for Endometrial Cancer

Platinum- and paclitaxel-based chemotherapy (carboplatin/paclitaxel) has long been established as the standard first-line treatment for advanced or recurrent endometrial cancer. Cancer immunotherapy is recognized as the fifth pillar of core cancer care, alongside surgery, chemotherapy, targeted therapy, and radiotherapy, and holds promise for integration into the standard of care for endometrial cancer.

• Hormonal Therapy: Progestins (e.g., MPA, norethindrone) have been used to treat endometrial cancer, particularly in patients with low-grade, ER/PR-positive tumors. HDAC inhibitors (e.g., entinostat, romidepsin) have shown potential in restoring PR expression and enhancing progestin efficacy.
• PARP Inhibitors: Agents such as olaparib and niraparib are being evaluated in endometrial cancer, especially in patients with homologous recombination deficiency (HRD) or Lynch syndrome.
• Anti-HER2 Therapy: Trastuzumab in combination with chemotherapy has demonstrated efficacy in HER2-positive serous endometrial cancer.
• Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors: Pembrolizumab and dostarlimab have received FDA approval for MMR-deficient (dMMR) or MSI-H endometrial cancer, showing promising responses in both advanced and recurrent settings.
• Targeted Therapy Combinations: Combination strategiesincluding HDAC inhibitors with progestins, immune checkpoint inhibitors with chemotherapy, and lenvatinib/pembrolizumab—are being actively investigated to overcome resistance and improve clinical outcomes.

Our Services

Endometrial cancer represents a major and growing health concern for women worldwide. Accordingly, Alfa Cytology is committed to providing comprehensive one-stop solutions for endometrial cancer, including but not limited to the following:

Therapy Development Platforms

Models of Endometrial Cancer

Alfa Cytology offers a comprehensive range of endometrial cancer research models to support every stage of drug discovery and development, from mechanistic studies to preclinical evaluation. Available model types include:

Our Endometrial Cancer PDX and PDC Resources

We have established a comprehensive biobank of endometrial cancer PDX and PDC models from 106 clinically annotated patient tissues, successfully generating 53 PDX models and 14 PDC models with an overall engraftment success rate of approximately 51%. The biobank encompasses the full spectrum of endometrial cancer histologies, ranging from endometrioid carcinoma to rare subtypes such as carcinosarcoma, and includes recurrent and metastatic cases. This resource provides a robust and clinically relevant platform for preclinical drug evaluation, biomarker discovery, and personalized therapy development.

Driving Your Endometrial Cancer Drug Development

Alfa Cytology is dedicated to advancing cancer research, offering integrated one-stop solutions ranging from cell therapy development services and immune checkpoint inhibitor development to comprehensive cancer drug development programs. Our oncology experts possess extensive experience in developing cutting-edge therapies for endometrial cancer. If you are interested in our services, please don't hesitate to contact us.

For research use only.