Targeted Therapy for Uterine Sarcomas

Targeted therapy is treatment with drugs that are made to target changes in the cancer cells. Some people group them with chemotherapy, but they aren't the same. Targeted therapies leave most healthy cells alone. They often cause fewer and different side effects than chemo. They are very new in the treatment of certain types of uterine sarcoma. 

Pazopanib (Votrient) is a targeted therapy that may be used to treat leiomyosarcoma that has spread or come back after treatment. 

Side effects include things like high blood pressure, headache, and skin changes. 

Targeted therapy is used to treat many types of cancer, but it's still new in the treatment of uterine sarcoma. As doctors learn more about these cancer cells it could become an important part of treatment.

See Targeted Therapy to learn more about this cancer treatment.

The American Cancer Society medical and editorial content team

Our team is made up of doctors and oncology certified nurses with deep knowledge of cancer care as well as journalists, editors, and translators with extensive experience in medical writing.

Baek MH, Park JY, Rhim CC, et al. Investigation of New Therapeutic Targets in Undifferentiated Endometrial Sarcoma. Gynecol Obstet Invest. 2017;82(4):329-339.

Cuppens T, Annibali D, Coosemans A, et al. Potential Targets' Analysis Reveals Dual PI3K/mTOR Pathway Inhibition as a Promising Therapeutic Strategy for Uterine Leiomyosarcomas-an ENITEC Group Initiative. Clin Cancer Res. 2017;23(5):1274-1285. 

National Comprehensive Cancer Network. NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology. Uterine Neoplasms. Version 1.2018 -- October 13, 2017. 

Yen MS, Chen JR, Wang PH, et al. Uterine sarcoma part III-Targeted therapy: The Taiwan Association of Gynecology (TAG) systematic review. Taiwan J Obstet Gynecol. 2016;55(5):625-634.

Ricci S, Stone RL, Fader AN. Uterine leiomyosarcoma: Epidemiology, contemporary treatment 
strategies and the impact of uterine morcellation. Gynecol Oncol. 2017;145(1):208-216.

Last Medical Review: October 12, 2017 Last Revised: May 14, 2019

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Treating Uterine Sarcoma