Cervical cancer is a type of cancer that affects the cervix, the area of the female reproductive system that connects the uterus to the vagina. It is the fourth most common cancer in women, with an estimated 570,000 cases worldwide in 2018.

Current Treatment Options for Cervical Cancer

The current treatment options for cervical cancer include surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy. These treatments can be effective in some cases, but they often have side effects and can be difficult for patients to tolerate.

What is Immunotherapy?

Immunotherapy is a type of cancer treatment that works by harnessing the body’s immune system to fight cancer. The immune system is the body’s defense against foreign invaders, including cancer cells.

Immunotherapy treatments can help boost the immune system’s response to cancer cells and help it recognize and attack them.

Success of Immunotherapy in Cervical Cancer Treatment

Immunotherapy has shown promising results in the treatment of cervical cancer. In 2018, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved two immunotherapy drugs for the treatment of advanced cervical cancer.

These drugs, pembrolizumab and nivolumab, are part of a class of immunotherapy drugs known as PD-1 inhibitors.

Pembrolizumab

Pembrolizumab is a PD-1 inhibitor that works by blocking a protein called PD-1 on T cells. T cells are a type of white blood cell that play a key role in the body’s immune response.

By blocking PD-1, pembrolizumab helps activate T cells and boost the immune system’s ability to fight cancer cells.

Nivolumab

Nivolumab is another PD-1 inhibitor that works in a similar way to pembrolizumab. It blocks the PD-1 protein, which helps activate T cells and boost the immune system’s response to cancer cells.

Nivolumab has also been shown to be effective in the treatment of advanced cervical cancer.

Side Effects of Immunotherapy in Cervical Cancer Treatment

Like all cancer treatments, immunotherapy can have side effects. The most common side effects of immunotherapy drugs are fatigue, nausea, and loss of appetite. More serious side effects can occur, including inflammation of the lungs, liver, and colon.

Patients should discuss the potential side effects of immunotherapy with their healthcare provider.

Conclusion

Immunotherapy has shown promise in the treatment of cervical cancer. The FDA has approved two immunotherapy drugs, pembrolizumab and nivolumab, for the treatment of advanced cervical cancer.

These drugs work by boosting the immune system’s response to cancer cells and have shown to be effective in clinical trials. Patients should discuss the potential benefits and side effects of immunotherapy with their healthcare provider.