Durvalumab and olaparib combination extends survival in advanced endometrial cancer

Patients with advanced or recurrent endometrial cancer who received an immunotherapy-based regimen combining durvalumab with the PARP inhibitor olaparib lived almost a year longer than patients treated with chemotherapy alone, according to updated Phase 3 results from the DUO-E trial presented by researchers at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center at the European Society for Medical Oncology Congress 2026 in Madrid. In the global trial, treatment with durvalumab plus chemotherapy followed by maintenance durvalumab and olaparib achieved a median overall survival of 51.1 months, 11.5 months longer than chemotherapy alone. The analysis is the first overall survival readout from the study demonstrating durable benefits that extend beyond delaying disease progression.

“These results demonstrate that combining immunotherapy with a PARP inhibitor can deliver durable survival benefits for patients with advanced or recurrent endometrial cancer,” said principal investigator Shannon Westin, M.D., professor of Gynecologic Oncology and Reproductive Medicine at MD Anderson, who presented the findings. “The findings are particularly noteworthy for patients with pMMR tumors, who represent the majority of cases and have traditionally had fewer effective treatment options.” Mismatch repair proficient, or pMMR, tumors account for the majority of endometrial cancer cases, and researchers reported additional benefits among patients in this subgroup, making the broader survival gain observed across the trial population particularly significant.

The trial randomized 718 patients with advanced or recurrent endometrial cancer to one of three treatment regimens. One group received chemotherapy alone followed by placebo in the maintenance phase. The other two groups received chemotherapy combined with durvalumab, followed by maintenance durvalumab with or without olaparib. Olaparib is a PARP inhibitor that interferes with cancer cells’ DNA repair mechanisms, a targeted strategy that may help explain the survival gains seen across patient subgroups, including those with pMMR tumors.

The study previously met its primary progression-free survival endpoints, and the current analysis evaluated overall survival and long-term safety. No new safety concerns were observed, and side effects remained consistent with previous findings. Researchers also reported durable benefits across several secondary endpoints: patients receiving durvalumab followed by durvalumab and olaparib experienced longer periods before requiring subsequent therapy and remained on treatment longer than those receiving chemotherapy alone. At 36 months, 63.4 percent of patients in the durvalumab-plus-olaparib arm were alive, compared with 52 percent of patients in the chemotherapy arm.

Endometrial cancer is the most common gynecologic cancer in the United States, with approximately 66,000 women diagnosed each year. Women with advanced or recurrent disease have limited treatment options and historically face poor outcomes once the cancer spreads or returns after initial treatment. The results suggest that combining immunotherapy with targeted maintenance therapy may help patients live longer while also delaying the need for additional treatment, and they support an approach that combines immunotherapy and targeted therapy earlier in the treatment journey, before the disease progresses. The study was funded by AstraZeneca, and researchers will continue the DUO-E study toward a final analysis of overall survival.

Subject of Research: Phase 3 DUO-E trial of durvalumab and olaparib maintenance therapy for advanced or recurrent endometrial cancer

Article Title: ESMO 2026: Immunotherapy combination extends survival in advanced endometrial cancer

Article References: ESMO 2026: Immunotherapy combination extends survival in advanced endometrial cancer. Original publication (Bibliographic details unavailable.)

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Keywords: endometrial cancer, durvalumab, olaparib, DUO-E trial, immunotherapy, PARP inhibitor, overall survival, pMMR tumors, gynecologic oncology, ESMO 2026, maintenance therapy, MD Anderson