Verzenio Plus Letrozole Shows Durable Responses in Advanced Endometrial Cancer

A combination of Verzenio and letrozole has shown encouraging and lasting responses in patients with advanced or recurrent endometrial cancer, according to findings presented by Dr. Marilyn Huang, at the 2026 Society of Gynecologic Oncology Annual Meeting.

Huang, head of the UVA Division of Gynecologic Oncology at UVA Health and a professor at the University of Virginia School of Medicine, shared results from a phase II clinical trial showing that the treatment helped slow or shrink cancer in many patients, with some experiencing long-term disease control.

What were the key results of Verzenio plus letrozole in endometrial cancer?

In the study, more than half of patients were alive without their cancer getting worse at 6 months. Overall, the median time before the cancer worsened was 9.5 months.

Patients who had not previously received chemotherapy appeared to benefit the most. In this group, 71.4% were progression-free at 6 months, compared with 46.7% of those who had already received chemotherapy.

The treatment also shrank tumors in some patients. A total of 39.2% of patients saw their cancer shrink, including 9.8% whose tumors disappeared completely and 29.4% who had partial shrinkage. An additional 31.4% had stable disease, meaning their cancer did not grow.

Together, 70.6% of patients experienced some level of disease control.

Importantly, some patients had long-lasting benefit. Researchers noted that a portion of patients continued to do well beyond 20 months, suggesting that the treatment may offer durable control for certain individuals.

Why is Verzenio plus letrozole important for advanced endometrial cancer?

Endometrial cancer that has spread or returned after treatment can be difficult to manage, and hormone therapy alone often does not work for long.

“This cancer has a strong biologic rationale for endocrine-based therapy…however, responses to hormonal therapy alone are modest and often not durable,” Huang said during the presentation.

By combining a hormone therapy (letrozole) with a targeted therapy (Verzenio), researchers aimed to improve how long the treatment works. The results suggest this approach may help some patients achieve longer-lasting control of their disease.

How is Verzenio plus letrozole given to patients?

Patients in the study took Verzenio pills twice a day along with letrozole once daily. Treatment was given in repeating 28-day cycles and continued as long as it was helping and side effects were manageable.

The trial included patients with advanced or recurrent endometrioid endometrial cancer who were not candidates for surgery or radiation.

What side effects were reported with Verzenio plus letrozole?

The combination treatment was generally manageable, and no unexpected safety concerns were identified.

The most common side effects included fatigue and diarrhea. Other side effects included low blood counts, anemia and changes in kidney function tests.

More serious side effects occurred in a smaller number of patients and included low white blood cell counts, anemia and fatigue.

Importantly, there were no treatment-related deaths reported in the study.

“The toxicity profile was consistent with what we expect…with relatively low rates of more severe side effects,” Huang said.

What do these results mean for patients with endometrial cancer?

These findings suggest that combining Verzenio with letrozole may offer a new treatment option for patients with advanced or recurrent endometrial cancer, particularly for those who have not yet received chemotherapy.

While more research is needed, the results show that some patients may achieve meaningful and lasting control of their cancer with this approach.

References

1. Huang M, et al. Phase II study of abemaciclib plus letrozole in advanced or recurrent endometrioid endometrial carcinoma (GOG 3039). Presented at: 2026 Society of Gynecologic Oncology Annual Meeting; April 10-13, 2026; San Juan, Puerto Rico.

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