Unmet needs in cervical cancer - can biological therapies plug the gap?

Introduction: Cervical cancer remains one of the most common gynecologic malignancies worldwide. A disproportionate burden of cases occurs in developing countries due to inadequate screening and treatment. Even among patients adequately treated, in the presence of locally advanced or recurrent disease, outcomes tend to be poor. The introduction of biologic therapy into treatment has increased overall survival; however, a considerable opportunity still exists to improve current standards in treatment. Biologics have shown antitumor activity in multiple tumor types and are actively being pursued for the management of cervical cancer.

Areas covered: In this article, we will discuss the historical evolution of biologic therapy in cervical cancer including use of angiogenesis inhibitors, immune checkpoint inhibitors, antibody-drug conjugates, and vaccines. We will review how these therapies have been integrated into current treatment recommendations and discuss ongoing investigations intended to improve clinical outcomes. We also postulate on persistent gaps in care.

Expert opinion: Biologic therapies have had a tremendous impact on our current approach to managing cervical cancer. We anticipate that significant more research and development will be committed to the continued investigation of biologics in cervical cancer in an effort to improve a historically difficult to treat malignancy.