An update on the pharmacotherapy for endometrial cancer

INTRODUCTION: Endometrial cancer (EC) is the seventh most common malignancy in women. Most cases have a favorable prognosis because they present an early stage disease at diagnosis. Treatment currently comprises surgery with or without adjuvant approaches. A combination of radiation therapy, chemotherapy or hormonal therapy (HT) is usually administered. This article gives an update concerning the role of synthetic drugs in EC, reviewing the most recent data from Phase III randomized-controlled trials onwards. AREAS COVERED: Over the years, chemotherapy has become the treatment mainstay in both high-risk or locally advanced EC and in metastatic or recurrent disease. Carboplatin plus paclitaxel is currently considered the standard chemotherapy regimen with a well-tolerated toxicity profile. HT is an alternative option in women with advanced EC and important co-morbidities, and in young women with very early stage disease. EXPERT OPINION: Basic results of EC treatment during the last decade were collected. There is a need of more advances in treatment. The use of biomarkers, necessary for the success of a therapeutic strategy, and the identification of an ad-hoc population, are two important goals. In the authors' opinion, the development of comprehensive tumor bio-banks and international networks represent the right approach to foster translational studies and obtain improvement in patient outcomes.