Advances in Cervical Cancer and Ongoing Clinical Trials

Abstract

The big issue in the fight against cancer is to understand the molecular mechanisms underlying the carcinogenesis process and try to direct the knowledge acquired in the direction of new and hopefully efficient therapies. In recent years, numerous studies have greatly implemented the knowledge about cervical cancer. It is well known that human papillomavirus (HPV) types cause approximately 90 % of cervical cancer. This evidence led the scientists to focus on HPV infection in relationship with cervical cancer, thereby developing vaccines for the prevention of cervical cancer. Screening with HPV testing was introduced around 1990, and prophylactic HPV vaccination was licensed in 2006. The synergistic effect of cancer prevention and early detection of cancers has been shown to improve survival rates and decrease mortality by timely appropriate treatment. Unfortunately, prophylactic vaccines are not able to eradicate established HPV infections and their associated tumor lesions. Advances have been made also in the clinical and therapeutic management of patients affected by cervical cancer. Important immunotherapeutic studies in advanced cervical cancer have been recently reported. In addition, various classes of anti-angiogenesis agents are studied with great interest in order to improve the efficacy of the treatment for patients with cervical carcinoma.