A Phase II clinical trial conducted by researchers at the Yale School of Medicine has identified a promising new treatment for advanced uterine cancer using sacituzumab govitecan, a drug already approved for breast cancer. The study included 50 patients whose cancer had progressed after standard therapies. Results showed that 70% of participants experienced tumor shrinkage, while 28% achieved a major response with tumor reductions of at least 30%. These outcomes compare favorably with current third-line treatments, which typically benefit fewer than 15% of patients.
Sacituzumab govitecan works by targeting Trop-2, a protein commonly found on uterine cancer cells, allowing chemotherapy to be delivered directly to tumors while reducing damage to healthy tissue. Side effects, mainly involving bone marrow suppression and gastrointestinal symptoms, were generally manageable and less severe than those associated with standard chemotherapy.
The findings offer new hope for patients with treatment-resistant uterine cancer. A larger Phase III trial is now underway to confirm the benefits of the therapy.