On Feb. 13, 2020, a study published in Cell provided an unprecedented look at the dozens of molecular steps that occur to bring about endometrial cancer, commonly known as uterine cancer.

The study offered insights about how physicians might be able to better identify which patients will need aggressive treatment and which won’t, and offers clues about why a common treatment is not effective with some patients.

The study, funded by the National Cancer Institute, also suggested a potential new role for already-approved drugs that target proteins known as CDK12, SMARCA4 and PML in other types of cancer. The research builds on work by The Cancer Gene Atlas, or TCGA, which identified some of the genetic underpinnings of the disease in 2013.