About
Assistant Professor
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology
UCLA
Project title: Pathobiology and Mechanism of Progesterone Resistance in Human Endometrial Cancer
Project Description:
Endometrial cancer is the most common gynecologic cancer in the U.S. It originates from the endometrium, a hormonally sensitive cell layer inside of the uterus. While endometrial cancer is often curable in early stages, current therapies (surgery, radiation and chemotherapy) are often ineffective in patients with advanced disease and they can have debilitating side effects. Endometrial cancers can respond to hormonal treatment, but unlike current therapies for other hormone responsive cancers (like breast and prostate) hormonal treatment is not commonly used in endometrial cancer patients. One reason is lack of research in the field. We aim to change this by developing biomakers that can predict if a patient’s endometrial cancer can be successfully treated with a hormone called progesterone. Simultaneously, we are exploring ways to make progesterone resistant tumors respond to hormonal therapy. Our overall goal is to improve lives of thousands of women affected by this gynecologic malignancy.