Vishal Chandra, PhD

Endometrial cancer is a type of cancer that starts in the inside part of the uterus (womb). Gaining too much weight can increase the risk of getting this cancer. Current treatments can be very hard with many side effects and sometimes do not work. We need safer and better ways to prevent this cancer and save lives. Before cancer starts, some women develop a condition called atypical endometrial hyperplasia (AEH). If AEH is not treated, it can turn into endometrial cancer. The main treatment now is surgery. Surgery is not always safe for overweight patients or for women having other health problems. Another option is a hormone medicine called progesterone, but it does not always work. We are studying a medicine called semaglutide, which is already used to reduce body weight. Semaglutide is safe medicine. Early studies showed that Semaglutide helps progesterone work better, but it is not clear how it works together. In our animal studies, using semaglutide and progesterone together helped animals gain less weight, live longer, and slow cancer growth. In our research, we will test both drugs together in overweight animals that are more like human’s disease. We will also study how semaglutide may reduce the risk of cancer. If this research works, semaglutide combined with progesterone could lower the risk of cancer in women. This could save lives and give women safer, better options for their health.