and for endometrial cancer
Targeted therapies and immunotherapies are mainly used to treat advanced or recurrent endometrial cancer. approved drugs are listed below. Clinical trials using these agents may also be available for treatment of endometrial cancer.
Immunotherapies
Immunotherapies are cancer treatments that help the body’s immune system detect and attack cancer cells. The most common type of immunotherapies used for endometrial cancer are called immune checkpoint inhibitor. These are most often used to treat advanced or endometrial cancer with biomarkers known as MSI-H and . People with often develop cancers with these biomarkers.
- Jemperli (dostarlimab) is used in combination with chemotherapy as first line treatment for MSI-H or advanced endometrial cancer.
- Jemperli is used alone to treat MSI-H or advanced or recurrent endometrial cancer, which came back or got worse after platinum chemotherapy.
- Keytruda is used alone to treat MSI-H or advanced or recurrent endometrial cancer, in people whose cancer came back or got worse after previous treatment and who are not candidates for curative surgery or radiation.
- Keytruda is used alone to treat advanced cancers with the tumor mutational burden-High (TMB-H) that have progressed after treatment and for which there are no other treatment options.
- Keytruda (pembrolizumab) is used to in combination with the targeted drug lenvatinib in women with advanced endometrial cancers that are not or MSI-H, usually after other treatments have been tried.
Targeted therapies
is still fairly new in the treatment of endometrial cancer. Currently, these agents are only prescribed if the cancer has recurred or as part of a clinical trial. Targeted therapies for endometrial cancer include:
- Vitrakvi (larotrectinib) is approved for treatment of endometrial cancer that is or cannot be removed with surgery and has worsened with other treatments. It targets a specific genetic change called an NTRK fusion. This type of genetic change is found in a range of cancers, including a rare type of uterine cancer known as uterine sarcoma.
- Lenvima (lenvatinib) helps block tumors from forming new blood vessels. Lenvima can be used along with the drug Keytruda to treat some advanced endometrial cancers, typically after at least one other drug treatment has been tried.
- Afinitor (everolimus) is a type of known as an mTOR inhibitor that has been used (off label) to treat some people with advanced endometrial cancer. Afinitor does not have approval for use in endometrial cancer.
- Avastin (bevacizumab) helps block tumors from forming new blood vessels. Avastin does not have approval for use in endometrial cancer.
Table of targeted and immunotherapies for endometrial cancer
| Name of drug | Type of agent | Cancer | Indication | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jemperli (dostarlimab) | Immune checkpoint inhibitor Immune checkpoint inhibitor |
Recurrent or advanced endometrial cancer | In combination with chemotherapy, followed by Jemperli alone to treat primary advanced or recurrent endometrial cancer that is mismatch repair deficient () or microsatellite instability-high (MSI-H) | High (MSI-H) or () |
| Recurrent or advanced endometrial cancer | For treatment of recurrent or advanced endometrial cancer that is mismatch repair deficient () that has progressed on or following a prior platinum-containing regimen | VENTANA MMR RxDx Panel | ||
| Keytruda (pembrolizumab) |
Immune checkpoint inhibitor |
Advanced endometrial cancer | For the treatment of MSI-H or advanced or recurrent endometrial cancer that came back or got worse after previous treatment and for which there are no other treatment options | High (MSI-H) or () |
| or unresectable | For the treatment of that have progressed after treatment and for which there are no other treatment options | High (TMB-H) | ||
| Advanced endometrial cancer | Combined with Lenvima (lenvatinib) for patients whose cancer has progressed after treatment and who are not candidates for surgery or radiation | Tumor is not MSI-H or | ||
| Lenvima (lenvatinib) |
Tyrosine kinase inhibitor | Advanced endometrial cancer |
Combined with pembrolizumab, for the treatment of patients whose cancer has progressed after treatment and who are not candidates for surgery or radiation |
Tumor is not MSI-H or |
| Vitrakvi (larotrectinib) | Kinase inhibitor | solid tumors | For treatment in solid tumors for which there are no other treatment options | NTRK fusion |
Related Resources
The following organizations have resources related to endometrial cancer.
- FORCE related resources:
- Information: Endometrial cancer screening and prevention
- Information: Endometrial cancer treatment
- Information: Biomarkers, targeted and immunotherapies for endometrial cancer
- Information: damage repair and cancer treatment (including information on MMR)
- XRAY category: Endometrial cancer
- Video playlist: Endometrial cancer
- FORCE blogs: Endometrial cancer
- Spot Her is an initiative focused on endometrial cancer.
- The National Comprehensive Cancer Network patient guide, Uterine Cancer, Endometrial Cancer, Uterine Sarcoma.
- Cancer.net information on endometrial cancer.
- The Foundation for Women's Cancer information on endometrial cancer.
updated: 08/25/2023
Paying For Care
Paying for cancer treatment
The majority of public and private health insurance plans are required to cover cancer diagnosis and treatment; copays, coinsurance and deductibles often apply. Patient costs and coverage for specific doctors, facilities or treatments may vary based on your health plan. Visit our section on Insurance and Paying for Care: Treatment for more information, links to sample appeal letters and other resources.
If you need information about finding an insurance plan, watch our video: Choosing Wisely: How to Pick Insurance Plans.
Some pharmaceutical companies have assistance programs that help cover the cost for their medications:
- Astellas Patient Assistance Program
- AstraZeneca Access 360
- Bayer US Patient Assistance Foundation
- Bristol-Myers Squibb Patient Assistance Foundation
- Eisai Patient Assistance Program
- Genentech Access Solutions
- GSK for You
- Janssen Patient Access Program
- LIlly Cares
- Merck Helps
- Pfizer Oncology Together
- Novartis Patient Assistance
- Sanofi Patient Connection
- Seattle Genetics' SeaGen Secure
- Taiho's Patient Support Program
- Takeda's Help at Hand
- Trodelvy Access Services
Organizations that offer co-pay assistance:
- Cancercare
- Patient Advocate Foundation
- Colorectal Cancer Alliance offers financial support to people in treatment for colorectal cancer.
Other resources:
- The American Cancer Society provides information and resources on covering the cost of cancer care. Public assistance, such as Medicaid may be available if you are ineligible for other programs.
- Needy Meds: Assistance programs to help patients with cost of medications and other healthcare.
- Triage Cancer offers tools and resources to help individuals cope with the financial aspects of a cancer diagnosis.
updated: 02/10/2023
Open Clinical Trials
The following studies are enrolling people with advanced endometrial cancer.
- NCT04486352: A Study of Targeted Therapies for Patients With Recurrent Endometrial CancerA Study of Targeted Therapies for Patients With Recurrent Endometrial Cancer. This study is to test the safety and effectiveness of different kinds of with or without atezolizumab in people with recurrent endometrial cancer.
- NCT05173987: Comparing an Drug, Pembrolizumab With Chemotherapy in Advanced or Recurrent Endometrial Cancer. This study will test the safety and effectiveness of treatment with pembrolizumab, compared to a combination of chemotherapy in women with advanced or recurrent endometrial cancer who had not previously been treated with chemotherapy.
- NCT03607890: Nivolumab and Relatlimab in Advanced MSI-H Cancers Resistant to Prior PD-(L)1 Inhibitor. This study will evaluate the safety, effectiveness, and tolerability of the drugs nivolumab and relatlimab in patients with -high (MSI-H) resistant to prior PD-(L)1 therapy.
- NCT03955978: Dostarlimab in Addition to Standard of Care Definitive Radiation for Inoperable Endometrial Cancer. The purpose of this study is to evaluate dostarlimab compared to standard-of-care radiation therapy for patients with inoperable endometrial cancer to establish the safety and efficacy of inducing an anti-tumor immune response.
- NCT04463771: Safety and Efficacy of Retifanlimab (INCMGA00012) Alone or in Combination With Other Therapies in Participants With Advanced or Endometrial Cancer Who Have Progressed on or After Platinum-based Chemotherapy. (POD1UM-204). This is a Phase 2 study of the PD-1 antibody retifanlimab in participants who have advanced or endometrial cancer that has progressed on or after platinum-based chemotherapy.
A number of other clinical trials for patients with endometrial cancer can be found here.
updated: 08/11/2023