Purpose: In 2014, the US Food and Drug Administration approved the first targeted agent, bevacizumab, in the treatment of advanced stage, persistent, or recurrent cervical cancer. This oncologic milestone has catalyzed interest in the investigation of alternate therapies, including immunotherapy, in an effort to extend life and possibly cure patients with advanced stage disease.
Methods: This review article focuses on the evolving paradigm of immunotherapy in the treatment of cervical cancer, describing the biologic basis of this treatment modality and discussing applicable Phase I to II clinical trials.
Findings: To date several trials have been conducted exploring vaccine-based therapies, adoptive T-cell therapy, and immune-modulating agents in patients with cervical cancer with promising results.
Implications: Immunotherapy represents a promising therapeutic paradigm in the treatment of advanced cervical cancer. Additional investigation is warranted to try and identify alternate immune targets and predictors of response, allowing for the selection of patients most likely to benefit from immune-based treatments.
Keywords: Cervical cancer; Checkpoint inhibitor; Chimeric T cell receptor antigen; Human papillomavirus; Immunotherapy; Therapeutic vaccine.
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