Season 3 Episode 1: Advances in Endometrial Cancer Research

Cigall Kadoch had a hunch that the research in her lab might be relevant to endometrial cancer research. She had spent more than a decade studying the molecular machinery that unwinds DNA in the nucleus of a cell to make the right DNA instructions readable by the cell at the right time. This machinery – the SWI/SNF or BAF complex – is altered by gene mutations in about 20 percent of cancers, including an aggressive form of endometrial cancer. The discovery of that connection, and the collaborative translational research done with gynecologic oncologist Jessica St. Laurent, MD, at Dana-Farber to determine if an inhibitor targeting these complexes could benefit patients with endometrial cancer — it’s the story we’re sharing in this episode of Unraveled Presents: Conversations About Cancer.

Episode Notes:

The Nature Genetics paper detailing Kadoch's and St. Laurent's findings: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41588-025-02333-9

The Dana-Farber story: https://blog.dana-farber.org/insight/2025/10/dana-farber-research-uncovers-potential-targeted-therapy-for-endometrial-cancer/

Clarification of facts and sources: Colorectal and uterine cancer are, respectively, the third and fourth most common cancers in women as of 2026, each affecting 7% of women: https://www.cancer.org/content/dam/cancer-org/research/cancer-facts-and-statistics/annual-cancer-facts-and-figures/2026/2026-cancer-facts-and-figures.pdf