70% of patients surveyed reported the burden of chemotherapy treatment was almost as great as the burden of the disease itself, and 71% would prefer not to receive it again

Findings indicate that patients desire more discussion about treatment options with their physicians, underscoring the importance of collaborative care that considers both clinical expertise and patient priorities

NUTLEY, N.J., April 10, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Eisai Inc. today announced the presentation of findings from a new survey, which evaluated the experiences and perspectives of 119 U.S.-based patients who have been diagnosed with endometrial cancer (EC) and who received at least one line of chemotherapy.^† Conducted online in collaboration with the Endometrial Cancer Action Network for African-Americans (ECANA), Facing Our Risk of Cancer Empowered (FORCE), the Foundation for Women's Cancer (FWC) and The Harris Poll, the survey aimed to quantify patients' perspectives on topics including the impact of treatment on daily life, preferences regarding treatment options, the role of shared decision-making, and more.

Endometrial cancer, the most common type of uterine cancer, is the sixth most common cancer in women across the globe, with more than 60,000 new diagnoses in the U.S. each year. In this survey, patients reported that EC and its treatment had negatively impacted not just their physical health, but also social, mental, sexual and financial wellbeing.

Chemotherapy – which is a standard component of the first systemic treatment patients receive ("first-line") – was reported as taking an emotional and physical toll on patients, manifesting in deeply personal ways. While it remains an important step in the clinical paradigm for EC treatment, chemotherapy is not the only option available to patients for whom another course of treatment ("second-line") is necessary. The survey uncovered a strong desire from patients to be more engaged in clinical decision-making, especially to be informed about all available treatment options and their respective side effects.

"These survey results quantify what many of us have been hearing from our patients for years: that they feel the burden of treatment and they want to be informed partners in decisions about their care," said lead author Ginger J. Gardner, MD, FACOG, Gynecologic Oncologist, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and Chair, FWC. "These findings are a clear call to action for providers in our field to ensure patients understand their options and have a voice in treatment conversations at every stage of their journey."

Key Findings: Chemotherapy Experiences and Preferences

When looking at all respondents (N=119), the survey found:

• 70% of patients reported that the burden of chemotherapy treatment was almost as much as the burden of the disease itself, and of those patients who received multiple lines of chemotherapy (n=64)*, 41% reported that their second-line of chemotherapy was worse than the first.

• • 75% of those patients who had received multiple lines of chemotherapy* reported that the treatments had taken a toll on their personal lives.
    • *Denotes results based on small sample size (n=50-99); should be interpreted as directional only

• 95% of patients experienced hair loss (alopecia) with their chemotherapy treatment and 82% said that they would prefer a treatment option that causes less hair loss than chemotherapy, if one were available and applicable to them.

• Beyond the immediate impact of treatment, patients reported a range of long-term side effects — most commonly fatigue (51%), followed by neuropathy (42%), trouble concentrating or remembering things (35%) and alopecia (35%).

• 71% of patients reported that they would prefer not to receive chemotherapy again in the future.

Key Findings: Treatment Decision-Making and Patient Education

When looking at all respondents (N=119), the survey found:

• Only around 2 in 5 patients (42%) reported that they shared decision-making equally with their doctor and 79% indicated they wish their provider spent more time discussing what matters to them when it comes to their treatment.

• 9 in 10 patients (91%) wanted to know more about EC treatment options beyond chemotherapy.

• 92% of patients said they would prefer a treatment plan personalized to them over a one-size-fits-all approach.

Other Findings of Note: Differences in Treatment Experiences and Perceptions*

When looking specifically at respondents who identified as a person of color (n=47), the survey found:

• They were less likely to feel informed about their EC treatment options overall (62% vs. 79% of white respondents);

• 70% reported spending 5 or more hours for a typical chemotherapy visit including scheduling and confirming appointments, getting to and from the appointment, and receiving treatment, while 55% of white respondents reported the same; and

• 74% agreed that they would prefer not to receive chemotherapy again in the future vs. 69% of white respondents.

*Denotes results based on extremely small sample size (n<50); should be interpreted as directional only

"It's important that clinicians understand and acknowledge that there is a 'trust gap,' where patients of color may understandably doubt that their voices are truly being heard," said study author Adrienne Moore, President, ECANA. "In terms of treatment options, when the harsh physical toll of chemotherapy is compounded by the pressures of family, finances, and outside stressors – which often fall more heavily on communities of color – the combined burden can lead many to seek alternatives over repeating a chemotherapy treatment experience."

"The results of this survey provide a powerful reminder to the medical community that behind every data point is a person navigating one of the most difficult experiences of their life," said study author Sue Friedman, MD, Executive Director, FORCE. "So many of the people I connect with describe feeling overwhelmed by their treatment experience and wishing they had more time, more information, and more of a voice in their care. I encourage all patients to speak up, ask questions, and work with their healthcare team to build a treatment plan that reflects what matters most to them."

Findings from the survey will be presented as a poster, Endometrial Cancer: The Patient Voice is Center Stage, at the SGO Annual Meeting on Women's Cancer, taking place April 10–13, 2026, in San Juan, Puerto Rico. The poster presentation (Abstract #1356) will happen in Exhibit Hall B on Sunday, April 12, 2026 from 11:00 AM–12:00 PM AST and 4:00–4:45 PM AST.

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^†Cancer treatment is often given in sequences, or "lines." The first treatment a patient receives is called "first-line" therapy. If the first-line treatment stops working, or if the cancer returns after initial treatment, a different treatment, known as "second-line" therapy, may be tried.

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About the Survey

The Endometrial Cancer Patient Experience Survey was conducted online within the United States between April 21 and July 7, 2025, by The Harris Poll on behalf of Eisai Inc. in collaboration with ECANA, FORCE, and FWC. A total of 571 individuals were recruited to participate through a Harris Poll affiliate and through ECANA's patient list, of whom 484 underwent eligibility screening (participation rate = 85%). Eligible respondents were ≥18 years of age, assigned female at birth, residents of the United States, diagnosed by a healthcare provider with uterine/endometrial/womb cancer and had received at least one line of prior chemotherapy. Of the 484 who underwent eligibility screening, 119 met the criteria for survey completion and subsequent data analysis (ECANA patient list, n=21; Harris Poll affiliate, n=98).

Select demographic and clinical characteristics of survey respondents included:

• Median age: 59 years
• Race/ethnicity: 61% White, 22% Hispanic, 16% Black/African American, 1% Asian
• Mean time from first experiencing symptoms to EC diagnosis: 3 years
• Treatment history (ever received): chemotherapy (100%), surgery (93%), radiation therapy (85%), immunotherapy (50%), oral targeted therapy (42%), hormonal therapy (40%)
• 54% received multiple prior lines of chemotherapy; 46% received one prior line of chemotherapy

Raw data were not weighted and are therefore only representative of the individuals who completed the survey. For this study, the patient sample data are accurate to within ±8.9 percentage points using a 95% confidence level. This credible interval will be wider among subsets of the surveyed population of interest. All sample surveys and polls, whether or not they use probability sampling, are subject to other multiple sources of error which are most often not possible to quantify or estimate, including, but not limited to coverage error, error associated with nonresponse, error associated with question wording and response options, and post-survey weighting and adjustments.

About Endometrial Cancer

Endometrial cancer begins in the inner lining of the uterus, which is known as the endometrium, and is the most common type of cancer in the uterus. More than 90% of uterine body cancers occur in the endometrium. In the U.S., it is estimated there will be approximately 68,270 patients diagnosed with uterine body cancer and approximately 14,450 patient deaths from the disease in 2026. Globally, endometrial cancer is the sixth most common cancer in women and the 15th most common cancer overall. Despite these figures, endometrial cancer is severely underfunded relative to its rapidly increasing mortality rate. Following primary treatment, patients face a risk of their cancer returning, often as distant metastasis, which is associated with poorer outcomes.

About Eisai

Eisai's Corporate Concept is "to give first thought to patients and people in the daily living domain, and to increase the benefits that health care provides." Under this Concept [also known as our human health care (hhc) Concept], we aim to effectively achieve social good in the form of relieving anxiety over health and reducing health disparities. With a global network of R&D facilities, manufacturing sites and marketing subsidiaries, we strive to create and deliver innovative products to target diseases with high unmet medical needs, with a particular focus in our strategic areas of Neurology and Oncology.

In addition, our continued commitment to the elimination of neglected tropical diseases (NTDs), which is a target (3.3) of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), is demonstrated by our work on various activities together with global partners.

For more information about Eisai, please visit www.eisai.com (for global headquarters: Eisai Co., Ltd.), us.eisai.com (for U.S. headquarters: Eisai Inc.) or www.eisai.eu (for Europe, Middle East, Africa, Russia, Australia, and New Zealand headquarters: Eisai Europe Ltd.), and connect with us on Twitter (U.S. and global) and LinkedIn (for U.S. and EMEA).

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