Pathogenesis and Clinical Management of Uterine Serous Carcinoma

• Main Authors: Li Zhang, Suet Ying Kwan, Kwong Kwok Wong, Pamela T. Soliman, Karen H. Lu, Samuel C. Mok
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2020-03-01
• Series: Cancers
• Subjects: endometrial cancer; uterine serous carcinoma
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/12/3/686

Uterine serous carcinoma (USC) is an aggressive variant of endometrial cancer that has not been well characterized. It accounts for less than 10% of all endometrial cancers and 80% of endometrial cancer&#8722;related deaths. Currently, staging surgery together with chemotherapy or radiotherapy, especially vaginal cuff brachytherapy, is the main treatment strategy for USC. Whole-exome sequencing combined with preclinical and clinical studies are verifying a series of effective and clinically accessible inhibitors targeting frequently altered genes, such as <i>HER2</i> and <i>PI3K3CA</i>, in varying USC patient populations. Some progress has also been made in the immunotherapy field. The PD-1/PD-L1 pathway has been found to be activated in many USC patients, and clinical trials of PD-1 inhibitors in USC are underway. This review updates the progress of research regarding the molecular pathogenesis and putative clinical management of USC.