DeCure's autonomous Cancer AI scientist is researching a drug-repurposing hypothesis for Endometrial Squamous Cell Carcinoma — screening already-approved drugs against its 3-gene Open Targets disease module to publish open-access research. Research is fast; the path to publication is funded in milestone stages.
Disease moduleEndometrial Squamous Cell Carcinoma maps to a 3-gene Open Targets module — the target space DeCure's AI scientist screens approved drugs against.
DeCure.ai methodSignature reversal (LINCS) plus network proximity (STRING) rank already-approved drugs likely to perturb this module — the same engine that produces DeCure.ai's repurposing hypotheses.
Repurposing thesisScreening approved medicines against this disease module, then publishing the evidence for the strongest candidate. Known pharmacology and human exposure data make the first question sharper — they do not establish safety or efficacy in a new indication.
Research record
01
ResearchComing soon
Candidate research + dossier — target rationale, drug-repurposing thesis and evidence pack.proof: Published dossier + on-chain hash
02
ValidationComing soon
In-vitro biological validation at a contract research org (CRO).proof: CRO contract + in-vitro report
03
Peer review & paperComing soon
Peer-reviewed paper published open-access (preprint + journal).proof: DOI + open-access link + on-chain hash
Current lead
No approved-drug candidate for endometrial squamous cell carcinoma is corroborated in the literature DeepSearch retrieved. Some conditions are managed with non-pharmacological care — a device, surgery or physical therapy — rather than a medicine; that may be the case here, or the literature we found may simply be too sparse yet to support a drug-repurposing angle.
Molecular view
KRas proto-oncogene, GTPase (KRAS) — KRAS is one of the genes genetically linked to this disease in Open Targets — shown as context, not as a drug target we're pursuing: no approved-drug candidate for this disease is yet corroborated in the literature we found.
Loading structure…
helix sheet gnpdrag to rotate · scroll to zoom
RCSB Protein Data Bank · entry 7VVB · 1.7 Å · ligand PHOSPHOAMINOPHOSPHONIC ACID-GUANYLATE ESTER (GNP). Experimental structure, not a prediction.
What the evidence adds up to
Primary squamous cell carcinoma of the endometrium is a rare disease, with fewer than 100 cases reported in the literature as of 2012. A 1993 review of records over a 10-year period at a major referral centre identified only 4 patients with this histology. These patients were treated primarily by surgery, with adjuvant radiotherapy or chemotherapy in 3 cases, and the authors noted that survival was long compared to previously reported cases. No specific drug or regimen is named in that report, and no response rates or survival numbers are given.
A 2012 case report and literature review states that many different markers have been tested for association with primary squamous cell carcinoma of the endometrium, with mixed results, and that it is likely several etiologic factors are responsible. The review concludes that due to the rarity of the condition, the optimal postoperative management remains to be defined. No treatment recommendations or efficacy data are provided.
Broader reviews of endometrial cancer from 2011 note that for recurrent or advanced disease, combination chemotherapy is the hallmark of therapy, but women who develop recurrence after initial treatment have limited options. Emerging second-line agents mentioned in one 2011 review include epothilones, angiogenesis inhibitors and mTOR inhibitors, with clinical trials underway. A 2024 Japanese registry study of 82,969 endometrial cancer patients reports that chemotherapy alone or in combination with hormonal therapy is more common among patients under 40, but does not provide outcomes for squamous cell carcinoma specifically.
What is still missing: prospective trials enrolling only primary squamous cell carcinoma of the endometrium, which are nearly impossible to fund given the disease’s rarity; any validated biomarker to stratify patients; and a standardised treatment protocol beyond surgery.
Evidence
Retrieved by DeepSearch across 234,678,978 indexed works and resolved on OpenAlex — ranked by citations, including the results that did not work.
AbstractEndometrial cancer is the most common gynecologic malignancy in the United States. The majority of women are diagnosed with early-stage, low-grade endometrioid tumors that are highly curable with primary surgery. Patients with more advanced and/or higher grade disease require multimodality therapy and have a higher risk for recurrence. Although uterine papillary serous carcinoma and clear cell carcinoma are diagnosed infrequently, they account for almost half of all relapses. As women with recurrent endometrial cancer constitute a heterogeneous group, an individualized approach is required. We review the treatment options of surgery, radiation, hormonal therapy, cytotoxic chemotherapy, and biological agents.
Primary squamous cell carcinoma of the endometrium: Two cases and a review of the literature
AbstractPrimary squamous cell carcinoma of the endometrium (PSCCE) is a rare entity, with fewer than 100 cases reported in the literature. We report two cases of PSCCE and review the literature regarding associated markers and treatment outcomes. Many different markers have been tested for association with PSCCE, with mixed results. Thus, it is likely that several etiologic factors are responsible for the development of PSCCE. Further, due to the rarity of the condition, the optimal postoperative management of patients with PSCCE remains to be defined.
Australian and New Zealand Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology · 1993 · 4 citations
Primary Endometrial Squamous Cell Carcinoma with Long‐term Survival
AbstractPrimary endometrial squamous cell carcinoma is a rare variant of uterine epithelial malignancy. A review of records over a 10-year period at a major referral centre for gynaecological malignancy identified 4 patients with this disease. They were treated primarily by surgery, with adjuvant radiotherapy or chemotherapy in 3 cases. In comparison to previously reported cases the length of survival for these patients was long.
Journal of Gynecologic Oncology · 2024 · 1 citations · open access
Detailed report on the clinicopathological factors of patients with endometrial cancer in Japan: a JSOG gynecologic tumor registry-based study
AbstractOBJECTIVE: In this study, we collected data over 8 years (2012-2019) from the Japan Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology (JSOG) tumor registry to determine the status of endometrial cancer in Japan, and analyzed detailed clinicopathological factors. METHODS: The JSOG maintains a tumor registry that gathers information on endometrial cancer treated at the JSOG-registered institutions. Data from the patients whose endometrial cancer treatment was initiated from 2012 to 2019 were analyzed retrospectively. RESULTS: A total of 82,969 patients with endometrial cancer underwent treatment from 2012 to 2019. Chemotherapy alone or in combination with hormonal therapy is more common among endometrial cancer patients under 40 years compared with those over 40 years. The number of patients with endometrial cancer, treated with laparoscopic or robot-assisted surgery was observed to have increased yearly. Small cell carcinomas and undifferentiated carcinomas were more likely to be diagnosed at an advanced stage. Lymphadenectomy was most commonly performed for stage IIIC2 disease, whereas positive peritoneal washing cytology was most common for stage IVB and serous carcinoma. CONCLUSION: Multi-year summary reports provided detailed clinicopathological information regarding endometrial cancer that could not be obtained in a single year. These reports were useful in understanding treatment strategies and trends over time based on age, histology, and stage.
New advances in the treatment of endometrial cancer
AbstractEndometrial carcinoma is the most common gynecological malignancy. Prognosis is poor following disease recurrence or diagnosis at an advanced stage. In this setting, combination chemotherapy is the hallmark of therapy. However, women who develop recurrence or metastatic disease after initial treatment have limited options for additional therapy. This emphasizes the need for new treatment approaches, many of which are currently under investigation. A literature review was performed to determine current and future treatment options for endometrial cancer. The epothilones, angiogenesis inhibitors and mTOR inhibitors are three emerging second-line agents with promising activity against endometrial cancer. Clinical trials are underway to determine how to best incorporate emerging therapies in the treatment of endometrial carcinoma.
Clinical Studies & Medical Case Reports · 2020 · 1 citations · open access
Primary Squamous Cell Carcinoma Of The Endometrium In A Postmenopausal Woman: Case Report
AbstractPrimary squamous cell carcinoma of the endometrium is an extremely rare tumor with poorly understood pathogenesis. The first case of Primary Endometrial Squamous Cell Carcinoma (PSCCE) was reported in 1892. Since then only sporadic cases have been reported in the literature. There is limited data available about epidemiology, clinical progression and different therapeutic options for the disease. This report describes a case of a postmenopausal woman with Primary Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Endometrium (PSCCE).
Disease module: DeepOracle (Open Targets). Structures: RDKit from PubChem SMILES. Literature: retrieved by DeepSearch across 234,678,978 indexed works (targeted per-candidate search), resolved on OpenAlex.
DeCure is a research and publication project, not medical advice and not a treatment. "DeCure for X" describes a research goal, not a claim that a cure exists. Backing a cure is a contribution to fund the research — it is not an investment, and confers no yield, royalty, equity or IP ownership. Papers are published open-access by the DeCure.ai DAO.
