Molecular Targets in Endometrial Cancer: From Histological to Genomic Subtyping
This Nature Reviews Cancer paper summarizes actionable molecular features in endometrial carcinoma, including POLE mutations, microsatellite instability, and p53 abnormalities that define the four molecular subtypes. The review evaluates these markers for early detection, risk stratification, and targeted therapy selection, including immune checkpoint inhibitors. Molecular classification is reshaping how laboratories report endometrial cancer beyond traditional histology.
The original study
Clinical actionability of molecular targets in endometrial cancer.
- Authors
- Urick ME, Bell DW
- Journal
- Nature reviews. Cancer
- Type
- Journal Article, Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural, Review
- PMID
- 31388127
Original abstract
Endometrial cancer accounts for ~76,000 deaths among women each year worldwide. Disease mortality and the increasing number of new diagnoses make endometrial cancer an important consideration in women's health, particularly in industrialized countries, where the incidence of this tumour type is highest. Most endometrial cancers are carcinomas, with the remainder being sarcomas. Endometrial carcinomas can be classified into several histological subtypes, including endometrioid, serous and clear cell carcinomas. Histological subtyping is currently used routinely to guide prognosis and treatment decisions for endometrial cancer patients, while ongoing studies are evaluating the potential clinical utility of molecular subtyping. In this Review, we summarize the overarching molecular features of endometrial cancers and highlight recent studies assessing the potential clinical utility of specific molecular features for early detection, disease risk stratification and directing targeted therapies.