New Therapeutic Strategies for Cervical Cancer with Special Reference to Immunotherapy

Immunotherapy has emerged as a promising treatment option for advanced cervical cancer, which has limited surgical and radiation therapy indications. The immunosuppressive environment in tumor tissues, caused by cancer cells, has a crucial role in immune evasion. Mechanisms such as the downregulation of antigen-presenting molecules, recruitment of immune suppressor cells, and T cell exhaustion contribute to immune resistance. Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) block inhibitory signals and enhance anti-tumor immune responses. Among ICIs, anti-programmed cell death 1 (anti-PD-1) has shown particularly good clinical outcomes compared with conventional chemotherapy. Adoptive T cell therapy (ACT) utilizing tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes has shown durable complete responses in advanced cervical cancer patients. Therapeutic vaccines targeting human papillomavirus antigens, such as Listeria monocytogenes-based vaccines and DNA vaccines, have demonstrated encouraging results in preclinical and clinical studies. Ongoing trials are evaluating the efficacy of ICIs, ACT, and therapeutic vaccines in various settings, including first-line treatment and combination approaches. The use of immunotherapy strategies is revolutionizing the treatment of cervical cancer and offers new hope for patients with advanced disease.