Endometrial Cancer SPORE: New strategies to prevent and treat endometrial cancer
Official title: Route 66 Endometrial Cancer SPORE
Funded at Washington University · NIH-11421855 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A multi-institution program is testing new ways to prevent and treat endometrial cancer in people, with three linked projects and multiple cores to support translational research.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Washington University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Saint Louis, United States) |
| Project start | August 23, 2023 |
| Project end | July 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $1,700,196 |
| NIH project number | 5P50CA265793-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11421855 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Individuals with endometrial cancer or at risk for endometrial cancer who may participate in the described clinical trials or related studies.
✕Less likely to help
People without endometrial cancer or without eligibility for the trials may not benefit from these specific studies.
What this research studies
This program brings together teams from three institutions to move ideas from the lab to the clinic for endometrial cancer. It includes three main projects plus cores for administration, statistics/bioinformatics, and biospecimens, metabolomics, and pathology, all designed to drive rapid clinical impact. Projects include targeting HSPA proteins, blocking AXL to improve therapy response, and preventing disease in premenopausal women with obesity and endometrial hyperplasia. Each project involves clinical trials to translate findings into patient care, with ongoing collaboration and advisory input. The overarching goal is to test promising therapies or prevention strategies that could change practice within five years.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients could see new treatments or prevention strategies that improve outcomes and quality of life.
How similar studies have gone: Prior translational efforts in endometrial cancer have led to new targeted therapies and prevention approaches, with ongoing work showing promise.
Where this research is happening
-
Washington University
Saint Louis, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Mutch, David G — Washington University
- Study coordinator: Mutch, David G
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Prognostic tools to guide adjuvant therapy for Black women after hysterectomy for endometrial cancer
A new project aims to create and validate easy-to-use tools that help doctors tailor post-surgery treatment for Black women with endometrial cancer.
-
Understanding why guideline-concordant endometrial cancer treatment varies in high-risk groups
This project looks at why some patients with endometrial cancer don’t receive care that follows national guidelines, aiming to find ways to ensure more patients get the best-supported treatments.
-
Targeting hormone resistance to prevent endometrial cancer
Aims to boost progesterone’s cancer-preventing effect in the lining of the uterus to stop cancer from developing in people at risk, especially those who are obese or young.
-
Inhibiting AXL to Improve Treatment Response in Endometrial Cancer
A cancer treatment study is testing whether blocking AXL with batiraxcept together with standard chemotherapy can help people with certain aggressive uterine cancers respond better.
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Targeting HSPA Proteins to Help Women with Advanced or Recurrent Endometrial Cancer
Aims to test a drug called SHetA2 that may slow or stop growth of advanced endometrial cancer by targeting cancer-friendlier proteins, with a focus on reducing treatment toxicity.
-
Obesity-related metabolic changes and disparities in endometrial cancer
This project looks at why endometrial cancer is worse for Black women and whether obesity-related metabolic changes drive the disease, with aims to find ways to prevent or slow progression.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.