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Study: New treatment option for advanced or recurrent endometrial cancer

If you have advanced or recurrent endometrial cancer, there is a new treatment called Jemperli (dostarlimab) that could be an option for you. This study looked at how well Jemperli worked compared to standard treatment. Based on these results, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the combination of Jemperli and chemotherapy for certain types of advanced endometrial cancer. (Posted 8/4/23)

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RELEVANCE

Most relevant for: People with advanced or recurrent endometrial cancer.

It may also be relevant for:

  • people with endometrial cancer
  • people with metastatic or advanced cancer

Relevance: Medium-High

Strength of Science: High

Research Timeline: Post Approval

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What is this research about?

Researchers wanted to see how well an called Jemperli (dostarlimab) works when combined with chemotherapy for treating advanced or recurrent endometrial cancer.

Why is this study important?

Chemotherapy is the standard treatment for advanced or recurrent endometrial cancer. Unfortunately, long-term survival rates with this treatment remain low.

This study showed that Jemperli plus chemotherapy is a new treatment option for some patients with advanced or recurrent endometrial cancer. Jemperli plus chemotherapy can increase the time before cancer comes back and lengthen survival for people with endometrial cancer. The combination worked particularly well for participants whose tumors had a marker called MSI-H or (mismatch repair deficient). Based on these results, the Food and Drug Administration () approved the combination of Jemperli and chemotherapy to treat newly diagnosed advanced or recurrent dMMR or MSI-H endometrial cancer. 

Study findings

Almost 500 people with advanced or recurrent endometrial cancer were included in this study. They were placed in two groups:

  • half had chemotherapy.
  • half had chemotherapy plus Jemperli.

At the two-year time point in the study, among all participants:

  • fewer people in the Jemperli-plus-chemotherapy group had their cancer get worse or come back than the group that received chemotherapy alone.
  • more people survived in the group that received Jemperli-plus-chemotherapy than in the group that received chemotherapy alone. This data is still being collected and these numbers may change.

Jemperli plus chemotherapy worked particularly well for participants with MSI-H or dMMR cancers. 

Among those whose tumor was MSI-H or dMMR:

  • half as many people who took Jemperli plus chemotherapy had their cancer return compared to people who took chemotherapy alone.  
  % of people whose cancer came back after 2 years
Treatment with any tumor type with MSI-H tumors
Jemperli + chemo 64% 39%
chemo alone 82% 84%


A similar trial (NRG-GY018) tested a related immunotherapy drug called Keytruda (pembrolizumab) combined with chemotherapy. While the NRG-GY018 trial only has results for 1 year after treatment, their results were similar. Keytruda plus chemotherapy improved outcomes for those with endometrial cancer. Together these studies support the use of combining an immunotherapy drug with chemotherapy for initial treatment of advanced or recurrent endometrial cancer.

Side effects

The most common side effects in this study were nausea, hair loss and fatigue. Most side effects occurred as often in people treated with Jemperli plus chemo as in those treated with chemo only. This suggests that these side effects are caused by chemotherapy. Nausea and rash were slightly more common in those who took Jemperli plus chemo.

Quality of life

Patients in each group were asked about their quality of life by rating their pain, fatigue, and how well they felt physically, emotionally and socially. People in both groups reported similar overall quality of life.

Open Clinical Trials

The following studies are enrolling people with advanced endometrial cancer: 

Several other clinical trials for patients with endometrial cancer can be found here.

Updated: 10/16/2024

Peer Support

The following organizations offer peer support services for people with or at high risk for endometrial cancer:

Updated: 08/28/2022