Next-generation drug reduces endometrial cancer progression and death in trial

A recent international study has shown that a new drug, sacituzumab tirumotecan, can significantly reduce the progression of endometrial cancer and related deaths. This drug, also known as sac-TMT, targets a protein on tumor cells and delivers a targeted dose of a chemical that leads to cancer cell death. Endometrial cancer, which affects the inner lining of the uterus, is becoming more deadly and has limited treatment options, especially when diagnosed late.

Currently, there are no standard therapies to prevent or stall its recurrence after initial chemotherapy and immunotherapy.

The study, led by researchers at NYU Langone Health and its Perlmutter Cancer Center, compared treatment with sac-TMT to standard chemotherapy in women who had already been treated with chemotherapy and immunotherapy for advanced or recurring endometrial cancer. The trial, which included 776 women, found that those who received sac-TMT had a 41% lower risk of their cancer progressing than those who received standard chemotherapy after immunotherapy.

Overall, the risk of death within the sac-TMT group was 32% lower than in the standard chemotherapy-treated group. Additionally, more than twice as many women treated with sac-TMT showed a tumor response, such as shrinkage, compared to those treated with standard chemotherapy (35.1% versus 17.3%, respectively).

Side effects in the sac-TMT group were mostly manageable, including low blood counts, mouth inflammation, and dry or itchy eyes. Study co-investigator Michelle Lightfoot, M.D., emphasized the importance of this drug for women worldwide, as endometrial cancer's incidence and mortality are increasing. She highlighted that existing therapies are ineffective, particularly for aggressive subtypes, which are more common in Black patients, who also have a higher risk of dying from the disease.

Dr. Bhavana Pothuri, the study's principal investigator and gynecologic oncologist, stated that this Phase III trial's results establish sacituzumab tirumotecan as a new standard treatment for recurrent endometrial cancer. As a result, clinical guidelines for endometrial cancer will need to be reassessed to incorporate sac-TMT. The drug's success also suggests potential for treating other cancers in which Trop-2, the target protein, is overexpressed, such as lung, breast, ovarian, and intestinal tumors.