Overview

The Endometrial Cancer Molecularly Targeted Therapy Consortium brings together many academic medical institutions across the U.S. to study endometrial cancer and identify new treatments. The goal of the Consortium is to decrease the incidence of endometrial cancer, improve survival outcomes, and accelerate research progress. It will reach this goal by harnessing information about endometrial cancer, identifying novel therapies, and composing relevant survival data.

About Endometrial Cancer and the Need for the Consortium

Endometrial cancer occurs in the lining of the uterus (endometrium) and is the most common cancer of the female reproductive organs. It is often deadly when it spreads beyond the uterus. Endometrial cancer deaths have been on the rise since 2006. Angeles Alvarez Secord, MD, a gynecological oncologist with the Duke Cancer Institute, started the Consortium in 2019 after being awarded a $1 million grant from the Kay Yow Cancer Fund/V Foundation for Cancer Research grant. The award was given in honor of NBA All-star Kevin Durant's loved one who lost a battle with cancer. The Consortium is a research study that brings together national experts in endometrial cancer, patients, and patient advocates. More than 2500 people are participating in an observational research study database and clinical trials to help the Consortium better understand endometrial cancer.

Founding Sites

• Duke Cancer institute
• New York University
• Inova Fairfax Hospital
• Johns Hopkins University
• The Ohio State University
• University of Oklahoma
• University of California, Los Angeles
• University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
• Washington University, St. Louis 

Expansion Sites 

• University of Alabama- Birmingham
• University of Colorado
• University of Cincinnati 
• University of Pittsburgh
• Atrium Health
• University of Pennsylvania 
• Columbia University
• University of Virginia
• Virginia Commonwealth University
• Louisiana State University
• Allegheny Health Network
• Oregon Health and Science University
• Ohio Health 

Area of Focus

One important area of focus is the study of abnormal tumor genes and proteins in the cancer cells that can be identified through testing. The Consortium is looking closely at these abnormal genes and proteins to determine if they can be used to influence treatment decisions and identify better treatments that will help people with endometrial cancer live longer.

Research Achievements

Research conducted through the Endometrial Cancer Consortium won two international awards for best clinical presentations at the 2023 and 2022 meetings of the Society of Gynecology Oncology (SGO). Highlights include: Dr. Secord was installed as president of the SGO at its 2023 annual meeting. She received the Best Clinical Science Award for the abstract titled “Genomic Alterations, Molecularly Targeted Therapy and Race: Real World Data from the Endometrial Cancer Molecularly Targeted Therapy Consortium.”

Additional Awards

Clinical Outcomes of Patients with High Tumor Mutational Burden, High Microsatellite Stability, and Mismatch Repair Deficiency in a Multi-Institutional Endometrial Cancer Consortium

• Oral presentation at SGO 2023, March 25-28, 2023. Manuscript in development.
  • Molecular Classification of Endometrial Cancers (EC) and Association with Relapsle-Free Survival Outcomes: Ancillary Analysis of GOG-0258
• Oral Plenary at the 2023 Annual Global Meeting in Seoul, Republic of Korea
  • Differential Genomic Alterations in TP53-Mutated Endometrial Cancers and Associations with Race and Survival Outcomes
• Awarded Best Clinical Practice Abstract 2022 at SGO, March 18-21, 2022.
  • Differential Genomic Alterations in TP53-Mutated Endometrial Cancers and Associations with Race and Survival Outcomes
• Awarded SGO Winter Meeting Best Oral Abstract Presentation 2023 at SGO Winter meeting, Feb. 2-4, 2023.
  • Abstracts and presentations continue to be submitted and accepted.