Simple Blood Test Could Help Choose Better Treatments for Patients with Recurrent Endometrial Cancer

Endometrial cancer, which develops in the lining of the uterus, is the most prevalent gynecologic cancer in the United States, affecting over 66,000 women annually. Projections indicate that in 2025, around 69,120 new cases will be diagnosed, with approximately 13,860 deaths resulting from the disease. While immunotherapy plays a significant role in treatment, it is not effective for all patients, and many experience a recurrence of the cancer. However, researchers have made a key discovery that could guide doctors in selecting more effective treatments for patients with recurrent endometrial cancer. Their study, published in the Journal for ImmunoTherapy of Cancer (JITC), identified specific proteins in the blood (biomarkers) that might predict how well a patient will respond to a combination of two cancer drugs, cabozantinib and nivolumab.

This study, conducted by scientists at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai (New York, NY, USA), is the first to explore blood markers that could aid in personalizing treatment and improving patient outcomes. The team discovered that certain proteins in the blood exhibited different behaviors in patients receiving nivolumab alone versus those on the combination therapy. Patients who had lower levels of specific proteins linked to macrophages (a type of white blood cell critical to the immune system) prior to treatment responded more favorably to the drug combination. Additionally, some patients showed particular immune activation markers, which helped enhance their cancer-fighting response, resulting in longer survival.

Image: The discovery of biomarkers could improve endometrial cancer treatment (Photo courtesy of Mount Sinai)

The study also found that elevated levels of proteins associated with neutrophils (another type of white blood cell involved in the immune response) were connected to increased side effects from the treatment. Importantly, the combination therapy proved effective for some patients who had previously stopped responding to other treatments. If these findings are validated in future studies, doctors may be able to use a simple blood test to predict whether a patient is likely to benefit from this treatment, thereby avoiding unnecessary therapies and focusing on the options most likely to succeed.

"Our research provides new insights into how the immune system responds to cancer treatment," said lead researcher Sacha Gnjatic, PhD, Professor of Immunology and Immunotherapy in The Tisch Cancer Institute of the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. "By identifying specific biomarkers in the blood, we can better predict which patients will benefit from combination therapy, allowing for more personalized and effective treatment strategies. This approach has the potential to improve survival rates while minimizing side effects, ultimately advancing the field of cancer immunotherapy."