Genome Editing in Gynecological Oncology: The Emerging Role of CRISPR/Cas9 in Precision Cancer Therapy.

Abstract

Introduction: Gynecological cancers, including cervical, ovarian, and endometrial cancers, represent a significant global health challenge due to their high prevalence and profound impact on mortality and quality of life. This narrative review explores the transformative capability of genome editing, specifically clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR/Cas9) technology, in advancing the management of these cancers. Genome editing offers great opportunities to develop targeted therapies by enabling precise modifications of genes involved in cancer initiation, progression, and chemoresistance.

Methodology: A comprehensive literature search was conducted from October 2004 to October 2024. Only peer-reviewed relevant English articles with substantial insights into the impact of genome editing on cancer therapies were considered using keywords such as "CRISPR/Cas9," "genome editing," "gynecological cancers," and specific cancer types like "cervical cancer," "ovarian cancer," and "endometrial cancer."

Conclusion: Genome editing, particularly CRISPR/Cas9, holds substantial capacity for revolutionizing the treatment landscape of gynecological cancers by enabling highly specific, gene-targeted therapies that can overcome conventional treatment limitations such as chemoresistance and tumor recurrence. Emerging preclinical studies demonstrate the feasibility of correcting oncogenic mutations and enhancing the sensitivity of tumors to existing therapies. However, before clinical translation can be realized, critical challenges-including off-target effects, delivery system optimization, and immune responses-must be systematically addressed through rigorous research and clinical trials. Advancing these solutions will be essential for safely integrating CRISPR-based interventions into personalized medicine approaches for gynecological malignancies.