Immunotherapy has brought promising breakthroughs to several types of cancer. Cervical cancer has a relatively large number of mutations (gene changes), which may make it more sensitive to immunotherapy drugs and may apply immunotherapy to cervical cancer.
A number of clinical trials are in full swing, and the researchers recently summarized a phase II trial of single drug nivolumab (Opdivo) for recurrent cervical cancer. Among the 24 patients: 19 had cervical cancer, 5 had vaginal cancer, and 26% of cervical cancer patients responded to the drug, which is an encouraging result.
Researchers will continue to improve the single-drug program through further trials, but are also pursuing another approach: combination trials. Studies using single-agent immunotherapy with drugs such as pembrolizumab (Keytruda) or nivolumab show that 15% -25% of patients are active, but the remaining patients are inactive, and there is much room for improvement. For this reason, the researchers are more focused on combined trials of cervical cancer.
Um experimento está em andamento para emparelhar o medicamento de imunoterapia atezolizumabe (Tecentriq) com o agente anti-angiogênico bevacizumabe, que evita que as células cancerosas formem novos vasos sanguíneos que precisam crescer. O bevacizumabe é um medicamento ativo contra o câncer cervical e há dados pré-clínicos de que o bevacizumabe pode melhorar a eficácia da imunoterapia. Portanto, esta é uma combinação estimulante de câncer cervical, e estamos aguardando ansiosamente os resultados deste estudo.
In another clinical trial, researchers are studying how two immunotherapy drugs, durvalumab (IMFINZI) and tremelimumab, can be combined with radiation therapy to see if radiation can enhance the immune response.
Cada vez mais pesquisas com imunoterapia contra o câncer do colo do útero acrescentam grandes esperanças às pacientes com câncer do colo do útero, e esperamos melhores efeitos do tratamento.
