Lead Researchers: Dr. Aline Talhouk, Dr. Jessica McAlpine, Dr. Andrea Neilson, Dr. Anna Tinker
Status: Ongoing
Our Risk Evaluation and Screening to Tailor prevention and Reduce the incidence of Endometrial cancer (RESToRE) study proposes a prevention model where we will identify postmenopausal women who are at risk of developing uterine cancer but are not experiencing any symptoms, such as abnormal uterine bleeding. We will then target screening options to those at high-risk. Postmenopausal women will be recruited to fill out a screening questionnaire that will be used to calculate a risk score indicating their likelihood of developing uterine cancer in the next ten years. Those who receive an elevated risk score will be invited to undergo at-home tampon and vaginal swab collection, which will serve to help us further understand the relationship between cancer risk factors, DNA mutations in uterine cells, and the vaginal microbiome to predict the presence of uterine cancer.
Participants will also undergo the Progesterone Challenge Test, where they will be prescribed oral synthetic progesterone tablets for ten days, which will cause menstrual-like bleeding (often called withdrawal bleeding) in the presence of a thickened uterine lining. All individuals who experience withdrawal bleeding during this test will be referred to undergo uterine lining sampling to diagnose any cancer or precancerous disease.
In addition to the Progesterone Challenge Test, participants can partake in an exercise and nutrition program call the “Small Steps for Big Changes”. This program is a community-based, personalized counselling on diet and exercise being run by Dr. Mary Jung and her research team at UBC Okanagan. In addition, individuals who tested positive on the Progesterone Challenge Test (experienced menstrual-like bleeding) will be followed up as per standard of care.