Topotecan in squamous cell carcinoma of the cervix: A Phase II study of the Gynecologic Oncology Group

The Potential Influence of Residual or Recurrent Disease on Bevacizumab Treatment Efficacy in Ovarian Cancer: Current Evidence and Future Perspectives

There were high hopes for the new antiangiogenic medicament, bevacizumab, which could inhibit the creation of new blood vessels through binding to isoform A of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). However, it is not only blood vessels that are responsible for tumor cell spread. During the process of tumor growth, lymphangiogenesis is mediated by other members of the VEGF family, specifically VEGF-C and VEGF-D, which act independent to bevacizumab. Therefore, based on the mechanism of bevacizumab action and the processes of angio- and lymphangiogenesis, we formed three hypotheses: (1) if the lymph nodes in primary ovarian cancers are metastatic, the outcome of bevacizumab treatment is worsened; (2) concerning the second-line treatment, bevacizumab will act in a weakened manner if recurrence occurs in lymph nodes as opposed to a local recurrence; (3) patients treated by bevacizumab are more likely to have recurrences in lymph nodes. These hypotheses raise the issue of the existing knowledge gap, which concerns the effect of bevacizumab on metastatic lymph nodes.

Cervical cancer treatment update: A Society of Gynecologic Oncology clinical practice statement

Cervical cancer is the most commonly diagnosed gynecologic cancer worldwide. Although the incidence has declined with increased screening and higher uptake of human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination in high-income countries, this disease remains the second highest cause of cancer mortality among women in low- and middle-income countries. In this clinical practice statement, we describe therapies for cervical cancer by treatment setting, as well as quality of life, financial toxicity, and disparities associated with this disease. In addition to chemotherapy and radiation, therapeutic strategies for cervical cancer include immune checkpoint blockade, antiangiogenics, and antibody-drug conjugates. Optimal treatment for recurrent cervical cancer remains an area of unmet need, necessitating further exploration of rational and innovative treatment approaches, including cell and immune-based therapies. Importantly, development of effective therapies for cervical cancer must incorporate strategies to ensure universal equitable access to HPV vaccination, screening, and treatment. Important consequences of the disease and treatment that impact quality of life must also be addressed. Patients with cervical cancer are at increased risk for financial toxicity, which can lead to downstream detrimental effects on physical, financial, and career outcomes. Underrepresentation of racial and ethnic minorities in gynecologic oncology clinical trials highlights the urgent need for collaborative and focused initiatives to bridge the significant divide and alleviate inequalities in the prevention and treatment of cervical cancer.

A Phase II Study of S-1 plus Oxaliplatin for Patients with Recurrent Non-Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Uterine Cervix (Tohoku Gynecologic Cancer Unit: TGCU206 Study)

Recurrent non-squamous cell carcinoma (non-SCC) of the uterine cervix is resistant to treatment and has a poor prognosis. The efficacy and safety of S-1/oxaliplatin (SOX) therapy in patients with recurrent non-SCC was examined in a phase II study. Fifteen patients were enrolled between August 2013 and March 2023. S-1 was administered orally at a daily dose of 80-120 mg for 14 days, and oxaliplatin was administered intravenously at a dose of 100 mg/m2 on day 1. Each treatment cycle lasted 21 days. The anti-tumor effects, adverse events, progression-free survival (PFS), and overall survival (OS) were investigated. The median patient age was 54 (41-74) years. The anti-tumor effect was rated as a partial response in five patients, stable disease in four, and progressive disease in 6. The overall response rate was 33% and the disease control rate was 60%. Regarding hematologic toxicities of grade 3 or more severity, leukopenia, neutropenia, anemia, and thrombocytopenia occurred in 26.6-40.0%. None of the patients discontinued the treatment because of adverse events. The median PFS and OS were 6 months (95% confidence interval [CI]: 2-11 months) and 22 months (95% CI: 11-23 months), respectively. No treatment-related deaths occurred. These results suggest that SOX therapy is useful for the treatment of recurrent non-SCC with promising anti-tumor effects and minimal adverse events.

Recommandations pour la pratique clinique Nice/Saint-Paul-de-Vence 2022–2023 : Prise en charge du cancer du col de l'utérus avancé

French recommendations for clinical practice, Nice/Saint-Paul-de-Vence 2022-2023: Management of advanced cervical cancer The prognosis of cervical cancer remained pejorative until recently, first-line treatment consisting of platinum-based chemotherapy, associated with bevacizumab whenever possible, without any other therapeutic innovation for several years. However in 2022, immunotherapy appeared in the therapeutic landscape. Pembrolizumab can now be prescribed, thanks to the early access status granted by the HAS in September 2022, in patients with PD-L1 positive tumors. In parallel, bevacizumab generic is now reimbursed, allowing its association with chemotherapy on top of pembrolizumab, if indicated. For patient relapsing after platinium salts, and who never received immunotherapy, cemiplimab could be delivered and reimboursed since spring 2023, whatever could be PD-L1 status. Pretherapeutic work-up includes imaging combining MRI and PET/CT or CT of the chest, abdomen and pelvis, as well as evaluation of PD-L1 status on tumor and immune cells to define the CPS score that will determine eligibility to pembrolizumab treatment (CPS > 1). Possibilities of locoregional treatment depend on individual situations and are discussed on a case-by-case basis in multidisciplinary meetings. Early supportive care is always recommended and inclusion in clinical trials must be systematically considered.

A review of the novel tissue factor antibody-drug conjugate: Tisotumab vedotin

OBJECTIVE

To review and compare the pharmacology, efficacy, and safety of the novel tissue factor antibody-drug conjugate, tisotumab vedotin.

DATA SOURCES

Literature search was performed through PubMed MEDLINE, Google Scholar, ClinicalTrials.gov, and the Food and Drug Administration.

DATA SUMMARY

Tisotumab vedotin, a novel tissue factor antibody-drug conjugate, was granted accelerated approval by the US FDA on 20 September 2021 for adult patients with recurrent or metastatic cervical cancer with disease progression on or after chemotherapy. Tisotumab vedotin demonstrated clinical efficacy in a number of solid tumors in innovaTV 201 and more specifically in cervical cancer in the pivotal phase 2 innovaTV 204. In the single-arm innovaTV 204 study, 101 patients with recurrent or metastatic cervical cancer received intravenous tisotumab vedotin at the recommended dose of 2 mg/kg every 3 weeks until disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. The independent review committee confirmed an objective response rate of 24% with 7% complete responses and 17% partial responses. Tisotumab vedotin is associated with several notable adverse events with data from innovaTV 204 including ocular toxicity, hemorrhage, and peripheral neuropathy. Ninety-two percent of patients experienced treatment-related adverse events with 28% experiencing an adverse event of grade 3 or higher.

CONCLUSIONS

Metastatic cervical cancer has a high risk of relapse with few effective second-line therapeutic options. Current guidelines recommend single agent tisotumab vedotin as a possible option. Ongoing trials will further define its place in therapy.

Systemic therapy for advanced cervical cancer: Leveraging the historical threshold of overall survival

Cervical cancer (CC) is a worldwide problem, especially in low- and middle-income countries, where patients are often diagnosed with locally advanced disease. Until recently, all chemotherapy drugs achieved low ORR and 12-month overall survival (12- month OS) for advanced CC after failure for platinum compounds. Advances in systemic therapy with immunotherapy, targeted therapy, and antibody-drug conjugates (ADC) have leveraged the 12-month OS limit. Recently, immunotherapy (pembrolizumab) has become the standard of care in first-line advanced CC combined with platinum and taxane and in second-line after platinum doublet failure.

Predictors of Oncologic Outcome in Patients Receiving Phase I Investigational Therapy for Recurrent or Metastatic Cervical Cancer

Introduction

We aimed to identify clinical, pathologic, and treatment factors that are predictive of response and survival in patients with cervical cancer referred to phase I clinical trials.

Methods

Patients with cervical cancer who received at least one dose of a phase I investigational agent at our institution between 2014 and 2022 were included. The log-rank test was used to analyze differences in progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS), and multivariable regression analysis was performed.

Results

We included 65 patients with a median age of 41 years (range, 20-74), 3 prior therapies (range, 1-7), and 67.7% squamous carcinoma. The rate of distant metastasis at trial entry was 84.6%. The most common molecular alterations included PIK3CA (46.5%), PD-L1+ (46.2%), EPH (30.0%), and CREBBP (23.1%); 23.1% had received a prior checkpoint inhibitor. Phase I trials were for immunotherapy (58.5%) or targeted therapy (41.5%). The rate of biomarker matching was 21.5%. For all patients, median PFS was 3.6 months (95% CI, 2.0-5.2) and OS was 9.3 months (95% CI, 7.0-10.6). Factors at study entry associated with worse survival were presence of bone metastasis (PFS 1.6 vs 4.4 months: hazard ratio [HR], 2.8; p = 0.001; OS 3.8 vs 10.0 months: HR, 3.9; p < 0.0001) and absolute lymphocyte count below 1000/μL (PFS 1.8 vs 5.2 months: HR, 2.9; p = 0.0004; OS 7.0 vs 10.6 months: HR, 3.2; p = 0.0009). Factors associated only with worse OS were absolute neutrophil count above 4700/μL, hemoglobin below 10.5 g/dL, and smoking status. Grade 3+ treatment-related adverse events were seen in 16.9% of cases.

Conclusion

Bone metastasis and absolute lymphocyte count below normal range at phase I study entry portend poor survival in patients with recurrent or metastatic cervical cancer.

Anlotinib in Chinese Patients With Recurrent Advanced Cervical Cancer: A Prospective Single-Arm, Open-Label Phase II Trial

Objective

This phase II, single-arm, prospective study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of anlotinib in Chinese patients with recurrent or metastatic cervical cancer (CC).

Methods

Patients with histologically proven recurrent or metastatic advanced CC were enrolled at Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center. Patients received 12 mg of oral anlotinib daily before breakfast for 2 weeks of each 3-week (21 days) cycle separated by a 1-week interval. Anlotinib was administered orally until disease progression, patient withdrawal, intolerant toxicity, or death. The primary endpoint was the objective response rate (ORR) according to the Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors, and the secondary endpoints included the disease control rate (DCR), progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), and safety.

Results

Between September 2018 and November 2019, 41 patients were recruited. The median age was 53 years old. The histological results revealed that 82.9% of the recruited patients had squamous cell carcinoma, 14.6% had adenocarcinoma, and 2.4% had other types. At the data cutoff date, six patients were still being treated, and 35 patients had discontinued treatment. Forty (40/41, 97.5%) patients were evaluated for treatment response. The median PFS and OS was 3.2 and 9.9 months, respectively, in patients who received anlotinib treatment. The ORR was 24.4%. In addition, 34.2% (14/41) of patients were confirmed to have stable disease, and 39.0% (16/41) of patients were confirmed to have progressive disease. The DCR was 58.5%. Ten patients (10/41) had a confirmed response during the follow-up period. Most adverse events (AEs) were grade 1 or 2. High-grade AEs (grade 3) included urinary leukocyte positivity (9.8%), hematuria (4.9%), and hypertension (2.4%).

Conclusion

This is the first study to evaluate the efficacy and safety of anlotinib in Chinese patients with recurrent or metastatic CC. Anlotinib produced durable clinical responses with manageable safety in these patients.

Adverse Effects and Safety of Etirinotecan Pegol, a Novel Topoisomerase Inhibitor, in Cancer Treatment: A Systematic Review

Background:

Due to the increasing prevalence of cancer and the inadequacy of current therapies, the development of novel antitumor pharmaceutics with higher efficacies and lower adverse effects is considered a fundamental tenet of contemporary cancer management. Poly-Ethylene-Glycol (PEG) attachment is a novel pharmaceutical technology to improve the efficacy and safety of chemotherapies. Etirinotecan Pegol (EP), also known as NKTR-102, is the PEGylated form of Irinotecan (CPT-11), which causes cancer cell apoptosis by inhibiting the topoisomerase I enzyme.

Objectives:

The present study reviews and evaluates various reports of the EP’s anti-tumor activity in various cancers.

Data Sources:

Studies were identified using the Scopus database, with no exclusions. The search terms included Etirinotecan Pegol and NKTR-102, which yielded 125 articles (66 and 59 articles, respectively). In addition, the clinicaltrials.gov website was used to find ongoing studies, which resulted in the addition of two studies.

Study Eligibility Criteria:

Subsequently, we excluded studies that were published in languages other than English, duplicate articles, and studies with no data.

Results:

This systematic review clarifies that EP possesses numerous advantages over many other medications, such as safety, efficacy, increased half-life, increased health-related quality of life, increased overall survival, increased progression-free survival, and decreasing the adverse events in the treatment of various cancers.

Conclusion:

Therefore, Etirinotecan Pegol may represent a major contribution to the treatment of various cancers in the future.

Updates on systemic therapy for cervical cancer

Cervical cancer is one of the most common cancers in the world both in terms of incidence and mortality, more so important in low- and middle-income countries. Surgery and radiotherapy remain the backbone of treatment for non-metastatic cervical cancer, with significant improvement in survival provided by addition of chemotherapy to radiotherapy. Survival as well as quality of life is improved by chemotherapy in metastatic disease. Platinum-based chemotherapy with/without bevacizumab is the mainstay of treatment for metastatic disease and has shown improvement in survival. The right combinations and sequence of treatment modalities and medicines are still evolving. Data regarding the molecular and genomic biology of cervical cancer have revealed multiple potential targets for treatment, and several new agents are presently under evaluation including targeted therapies, immunotherapies and vaccines. This review discusses briefly the current standards, newer updates as well as future prospective approaches in systemic therapies for cervical cancer.

Patient characteristics, treatment patterns, and clinical outcomes among patients with previously treated recurrent or metastatic cervical cancer: A community oncology-based analysis

OBJECTIVE

There is no standard systemic treatment for recurrent or metastatic cervical cancer (r/mCC) after failure of first-line (1L) therapy. This study characterizes the patient experience, treatment patterns, and clinical outcomes of patients who initiated second-line (2L) therapy for r/mCC in a US community oncology setting.

METHODS

This is an observational study of cervical cancer patients who failed 1L systemic treatment for r/mCC and initiated 2L systemic therapy between 2014 and 2019 within the US Oncology Network (USON). USON's electronic health records were used to identify eligible patients and abstract data. Overall survival (OS), time to treatment discontinuation (TTD), and time to first subsequent treatment (TFST) were estimated using Kaplan-Meier methods.

RESULTS

A total of 130 patients were identified (mean age 53 years). Over 60% of patients had Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group score of 0-1. Cytotoxic monotherapy was the most frequently prescribed regimen (N = 60, 46%) in 2L, followed by combination therapies (N = 45, 35%), pembrolizumab monotherapy (N = 19, 15%), and bevacizumab monotherapy (N = 6, 5%). Median OS was 9.1 months (95% CI: 7.2-12.2) after initiation of 2L therapy. Median TTD was 2.8 months (95% CI: 2.5-3.3), and median TFST was 4.9 months (95% CI: 4.2-5.7). No significant difference in outcomes was found when stratified by 2L treatments.

CONCLUSIONS

The observed heterogeneity in 2L r/mCC therapy suggests no clear standard-of-care in this setting. Additionally, short duration of OS observed was consistent across 2L regimens. New, effective treatment options in this setting are needed.

Camrelizumab Plus Apatinib in Patients With Advanced Cervical Cancer (CLAP): A Multicenter, Open-Label, Single-Arm, Phase II Trial

PURPOSE

Camrelizumab is an antibody against programmed death protein 1. We assessed the activity and safety of camrelizumab plus apatinib, a tyrosine kinase inhibitor of vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-2, in patients with advanced cervical cancer.

METHODS

This multicenter, open-label, single-arm, phase II study enrolled patients with advanced cervical cancer who progressed after at least one line of systemic therapy. Patients received camrelizumab 200 mg every 2 weeks and apatinib 250 mg once per day. The primary end point was objective response rate (ORR) assessed by investigators per RECIST version 1.1. Key secondary end points were progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), duration of response, and safety.

RESULTS

Forty-five patients were enrolled and received treatment. Median age was 51.0 years (range, 33-67 years), and 57.8% of patients had previously received two or more lines of chemotherapy for recurrent or metastatic disease. Ten patients (22.2%) had received bevacizumab. Median follow-up was 11.3 months (range, 1.0-15.5 months). ORR was 55.6% (95% CI, 40.0% to 70.4%), with two complete and 23 partial responses. Median PFS was 8.8 months (95% CI, 5.6 months to not estimable). Median duration of response and median OS were not reached. Treatment-related grade 3 or 4 adverse events (AEs) occurred in 71.1% of patients, and the most common AEs were hypertension (24.4%), anemia (20.0%), and fatigue (15.6%). The most common potential immune-related AEs included grade 1-2 hypothyroidism (22.2%) and reactive cutaneous capillary endothelial proliferation (8.9%).

CONCLUSION

Camrelizumab plus apatinib had promising antitumor activity and manageable toxicities in patients with advanced cervical cancer. Larger randomized controlled trials are warranted to validate our findings.

Pembrolizumab for advanced cervical cancer: safety and efficacy

Introduction: Pembrolizumab is an immune checkpoint inhibitor with high specificity for binding to the programmed cell death 1 (PD-1) receptor. It has been approved by the FDA in patients with recurrent or metastatic cervical cancer with disease progression on or after chemotherapy whose tumors express the programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1).Areas covered: Clinical studies of pembrolizumab in cervical cancer were analyzed and discussed. Data were obtained by searching for English peer-reviewed articles on PubMed, clinical trials registered on clincaltrials.gov and related abstracts on the ASCO meeting library. The aim was to review the status of pembrolizumab, the published and ongoing trials, and its safety and efficacy.Expert opinion: Pembrolizumab may ultimately represent a treatment of choice for advanced cervical cancer with PD-L1 expression, both in metastatic and recurrent setting. However, it is essential to better identify and characterize patients that will benefit the most.

Pharmacological Treatment of Patients with Metastatic, Recurrent or Persistent Cervical Cancer Not Amenable by Surgery or Radiotherapy: State of Art and Perspectives of Clinical Research

Cervical cancer patients with distant or loco-regional recurrences not amenable by surgery or radiotherapy have limited treatment options, and their 5-year overall survival (OS) rates range from 5% to 16%. The purpose of this paper is to assess the results obtained with chemotherapy and biological agents in this clinical setting. Several phase II trials of different cisplatin (CDDP)-based doublets and a phase III randomized trial showing a trend in response rate, progression-free survival, and OS in favor of CDDP + paclitaxel (PTX) compared with other CDDP-based doublets have been reviewed. The factors predictive of response to chemotherapy as well as the benefits and risks of the addition of bevacizumab to CDDP + PTX have been analyzed. The FDA has recently approved pembrolizumab for patients with recurrent or metastatic cervical cancer in progression on or after chemotherapy whose tumors were PD-L1 positive. Interesting perspectives of clinical research are represented by the use of immune checkpoint inhibitors alone or in addition to chemotherapy, whereas PARP inhibitors and PI3K inhibitors are still at the basic research phase, but promising.

Tisotumab Vedotin in Previously Treated Recurrent or Metastatic Cervical Cancer

PURPOSE

Tissue factor (TF) is a potential target in cervical cancer, as it is frequently highly expressed and associated with poor prognosis. Tisotumab vedotin, a first-in-class investigational antibody-drug conjugate targeting TF, has demonstrated encouraging activity in solid tumors. Here we report data from the cervical cancer cohort of innovaTV 201 phase I/II study (NCT02001623).

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Patients with recurrent or metastatic cervical cancer received tisotumab vedotin 2.0 mg/kg every 3 weeks until progressive disease, unacceptable toxicity, or consent withdrawal. The primary objective was safety and tolerability. Secondary objectives included antitumor activity.

RESULTS

Of the 55 patients, 51% had received ≥2 prior lines of treatment in the recurrent or metastatic setting; 67% had prior bevacizumab + doublet chemotherapy. Fifty-one percent of patients had squamous cell carcinoma. The most common grade 3/4 treatment-emergent adverse events (AEs) were anemia (11%), fatigue (9%), and vomiting (7%). No grade 5 treatment-related AEs occurred. Investigator-assessed confirmed objective response rate (ORR) was 24% [95% confidence interval (CI): 13%-37%]. Median duration of response (DOR) was 4.2 months (range: 1.0+-9.7); four patients responded for >8 months. The 6-month progression-free survival (PFS) rate was 29% (95% CI: 17%-43%). Independent review outcomes were comparable, with confirmed ORR of 22% (95% CI: 12%-35%), median DOR of 6.0 months (range: 1.0+-9.7), and 6-month PFS rate of 40% (95% CI: 24%-55%). Tissue factor expression was confirmed in most patients; no significant association with response was observed.

CONCLUSIONS

Tisotumab vedotin demonstrated a manageable safety profile and encouraging antitumor activity in patients with previously treated recurrent or metastatic cervical cancer.

Third-line Salvage Chemotherapy for Recurrent Carcinoma of the Cervix is Associated With Minimal Response Rate and High Toxicity

BACKGROUND

Metastatic and recurrent cervical cancer is rarely a curable disease. Systemic chemotherapy is typically recommended for treatment based on clinical trials in the first-line or second-line setting. Rare patients who progress through 2 salvage regimens will have the performance status, medical ability, and desire to continue cytotoxic therapy. For these patients, there are no data to provide effective counseling regarding expected response rates (RRs) and toxicities. We sought to review our experience with this patient population.

METHODS

A single institution review was performed of all patients treated for cervical cancer between January 1, 2000 and June 30, 2013. Eligible patients were those who received at least 3 unique salvage chemotherapy regimens following primary surgery or radiation. RRs, survival statistics and toxicities were evaluated.

RESULTS

Twenty-three of 710 (3.2%) patients treated for cervical cancer met eligibility criteria. Nineteen received 2 or more cycles of a third-line regimen and were assessed for response and progression-free survival. The remainder were included in analysis of overall survival and toxicity. The RR to third-line chemotherapy was 10% (1 complete, 1 partial). An additional 27% achieved stable disease. In total, 57% suffered a grade 3 or 4 toxicity. The progression-free survival from the beginning of third-line therapy was 3.8 months, and the overall survival was 7.4 months.

CONCLUSIONS

Patients eligible to receive third-line chemotherapy for metastatic and recurrent cervical cancer can expect minimal benefit at the cost of significant toxicity. Quality of life considerations should be of paramount importance when counseling regarding the risks and benefits of further cytotoxic therapy.

A Randomized Phase 2 Study of ADXS11-001 Listeria monocytogenes-Listeriolysin O Immunotherapy With or Without Cisplatin in Treatment of Advanced Cervical Cancer

Supplemental digital content is available in the text.

Objectives

A global unmet medical need exists for effective treatments for persistent, recurrent, or metastatic cervical cancer, as patients have a short life expectancy. Recently, immunotherapies have shown promising survival benefits for patients with advanced forms of cancer. Axalimogene filolisbac (ADXS11-001), a Listeria monocytogenes immunotherapy with a broad effect on the immune system, is under investigation for treatment of human papillomavirus–associated cancers including cervical cancer.

Methods

This phase 2 study evaluated the safety and efficacy of ADXS11-001, administered with or without cisplatin, in patients with recurrent/refractory cervical cancer following prior chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy. A total of 109 patients were treated, and 69 were evaluable for tumor response at equal to or more than 3 months postbaseline.

Results

Median overall survival (OS) was comparable between treatment groups (ADXS11-001: 8.28 months; 95% confidence interval [CI], 5.85–10.5 months; ADXS11-001 + cisplatin: 8.78 months; 95% CI, 7.4–13.3 months). The 12- and 18-month milestone OS rates were 30.9% versus 38.9%, and 23.6% versus 25.9% for each group, respectively (34.9% and 24.8% combined). Median progression-free survival (6.10 vs 6.08 months) and the overall response rate (17.1% vs 14.7%) were similar for both groups. ADXS11-001 was generally well tolerated; adverse events were predominantly mild to moderate in severity and not related to treatment. More adverse events were reported in the combination group (429 vs 275).

Conclusions

These promising safety and efficacy results, including the encouraging 12-month 34.9% combined OS rate, warrant further investigation of ADXS11-001 for treatment of recurrent/refractory cervical cancer.

Efficacy and Safety of Pembrolizumab in Previously Treated Advanced Cervical Cancer: Results From the Phase II KEYNOTE-158 Study

PURPOSE

KEYNOTE-158 ( ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT02628067) is a phase II basket study investigating the antitumor activity and safety of pembrolizumab in multiple cancer types. We present interim results from patients with previously treated advanced cervical cancer.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Patients received pembrolizumab 200 mg every 3 weeks for 2 years or until progression, intolerable toxicity, or physician or patient decision. Tumor imaging was performed every 9 weeks for the first 12 months and every 12 weeks thereafter. The primary end point was objective response rate (ORR), assessed per Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (version 1.1) by independent central radiologic review. Safety was a secondary end point.

RESULTS

Ninety-eight patients were treated. Median age was 46.0 years (range, 24 to 75 years), and 65.3% of patients had Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status of 1. Eighty-two patients (83.7%) had programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1)-positive tumors (combined positive score ≥ 1), 77 having previously received one or more lines of chemotherapy for recurrent or metastatic disease. Median follow-up was 10.2 months (range, 0.6 to 22.7 months). ORR was 12.2% (95% CI, 6.5% to 20.4%), with three complete and nine partial responses. All 12 responses were in patients with PD-L1-positive tumors, for an ORR of 14.6% (95% CI, 7.8% to 24.2%); 14.3% (95% CI, 7.4% to 24.1%) of these responses were in those who had received one or more lines of chemotherapy for recurrent or metastatic disease. Median duration of response was not reached (range, ≥ 3.7 to ≥ 18.6 months). Treatment-related adverse events occurred in 65.3% of patients, and the most common were hypothyroidism (10.2%), decreased appetite (9.2%), and fatigue (9.2%). Treatment-related grade 3 to 4 adverse events occurred in 12.2% of patients.

CONCLUSION

Pembrolizumab monotherapy demonstrated durable antitumor activity and manageable safety in patients with advanced cervical cancer. On the basis of these results, the US Food and Drug Administration granted accelerated approval of pembrolizumab for patients with advanced PD-L1-positive cervical cancer who experienced progression during or after chemotherapy.

A phase II study of irinotecan combined with S-1 in patients with advanced or recurrent cervical cancer previously treated with platinum based chemotherapy

OBJECTIVES

We conducted a phase II study to investigate the efficacy and toxicities of irinotecan plus oral S-1 in patients with advanced or recurrent uterine cervical cancer.

METHODS

Patients with advanced or recurrent cervical cancer previously treated with platinum based chemotherapy were enrolled. Irinotecan (150 mg/m²) was administered intravenously over the course of 90 min on day 1, and S-1 (80 mg/m²) was given orally in two divided doses from days 1 to 14 of a 21 day cycle. The primary endpoint of this phase II study was response rate. Secondary endpoints included safety, progression free survival, and overall survival.

RESULTS

A total of 19 patients were enrolled and treated. The response rate was 29.4%. Grade 3-4 hematologic toxicities were observed in three patients (15.7%). The only grade 3-4 non-hematologic toxicity observed was grade 3 diarrhea. The median progression free survival and overall survival were 3 months and 9 months, respectively.

CONCLUSION

S-1 plus irinotecan in a 3 weekly setting is safe and active in women with advanced or recurrent cervical cancer previously treated with platinum based chemotherapy. Future corroborative clinical studies are warranted.

The Epigenetic Landscape in the Treatment of Gynecologic Malignancies

The care of patients with advanced-stage or recurrent endometrial, ovarian, and cervical cancer remains clinically challenging. Despite the identification of novel therapeutics and advancements in supportive care, survival outcomes have been relatively unchanged over the past decade. In addition to established genomic alterations and the contributions of the tumor microenvironment to cancer progression, epigenetic mechanisms have emerged as important contributors to gynecologic cancer progression. DNA methylation, histone modification, and noncoding RNA expression may be important contributors to disease initiation and progression and may represent novel therapeutic targets. This article reviews the epigenetic landscape of endometrial, ovarian, and cervical cancer, describing the state of the science and discussing potential clinical applications. To date, the role of epigenetic drugs in the treatment of gynecologic cancers remains unclear, although continued progress may inform future treatment modalities.

The combination of cisplatin and topotecan as a second-line treatment for patients with advanced/recurrent uterine cervix cancer

We retrospectively reviewed outcomes of treatments with cisplatin and topotecan in patients with previously-treated uterine cervix cancer.We analyzed the medical records of patients with advanced (stage IVB) or recurrent or persistent squamous or non-squamous cell carcinoma of the cervix, who were treated with cisplatin and topotecan as a second-line chemotherapy between January 2000 and December 2015. The patients were treated with a combination of cisplatin (50 mg/m for 1 day) and topotecan (0.75 mg/m for 3 days) once every 3 weeks. Treatment response, progression-free survival (PFS), and overall survival (OS) were analyzed in all patients and between responder and non-responder groups (responders showed at least a partial response to prior systemic chemotherapy).Thirty-nine patients with a median age of 47 years (range, 32-73 years) were treated with cisplatin and topotecan. The median PFS was 4.6 months (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.2-7.9 months) and the median OS was 14.1 months (95% CI, 10.0-18.2 months). The overall response rate (ORR) was 30.8%, and the disease control rate was 56.4%. The ORR was significantly better in the responder group compared with the non-responder group (50.0% vs 10.5%; P = .008). All patients reported some grade of hematological toxicity. The most frequently encountered toxicity was anemia, with a rate of 59.7% for any grade and 13.2% for grade 3 or 4.The combination of cisplatin and topotecan was effective as second-line chemotherapy in patients with advanced/recurrent uterine cervix cancer.

A phase II evaluation of brivanib in the treatment of persistent or recurrent carcinoma of the cervix: An NRG Oncology/Gynecologic Oncology Group study

BACKGROUND

Brivanib is an oral, tyrosine kinase inhibitor against vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and fibroblast growth factor receptor (FGFR). We studied its efficacy and tolerability in persistent or recurrent cervical cancer patients.

METHODS

Eligible patients had at least one prior cytotoxic regimen for recurrence and with measurable disease. Brivanib 800mg was administered orally every day (1cycle=28days) until disease progression or prohibitive toxicity. Primary endpoints were progression-free survival (PFS) >6months and objective tumor response.

RESULTS

Of 28 eligible and evaluable women enrolled, 11 (39%) had primary surgery and 25 (89%) had prior radiation. Eighteen (64%) received one prior cytotoxic treatment and 10 (36%) had 2 prior regimens. Twelve (43%) had >2cycles of brivanib with 4 (14%) receiving >10cycles (range: 1-20). Seven (25%) patients had PFS >6months (90% CI: 7.3%-33.9%). Two (7%) (90% CI: 1.3%-20.8%) patients had partial tumor response with duration of 8 and 22months and 12 (43%) had stable disease. The median PFS was 3.2months (90% CI: 2.1-4.4). The median overall survival was 7.9months (90% CI: 6.1-11.7). More common grade 3 adverse events were hypertension, anemia, hyponatremia, hyperglycemia, elevated liver enzymes, nausea, headache, and colon hemorrhage. Grade 4 adverse events included sepsis and hypertension.

CONCLUSIONS

Based on early results of this phase II trial, brivanib was well tolerated and demonstrated sufficient activity after first stage but trial was stopped due to lack of drug availability.

Chemotherapy and molecular targeting therapy for recurrent cervical cancer

For patients with primary stage ⅣB, persistent, or recurrent cervical cancer, chemotherapy remains the standard treatment, although it is neither curative nor associated with long-term disease control. In this review, we summarized the history of treatment of recurrent cervical cancer, and the current recommendation for chemotherapy and molecular targeted therapy. Eligible articles were identified by a search of the MEDLINE bibliographical database for the period up to November 30, 2014. The search strategy included the following any or all of the keywords: “uterine cervical cancer”, “chemotherapy”, and “targeted therapies”. Since cisplatin every 21 days was considered as the historical standard treatment for recurrent cervical cancer, subsequent trials have evaluated and demonstrated activity for other agents including paclitaxel, gemcitabine, topotecan and vinorelbine among others. Accordingly, promising agents were incorporated into phase Ⅲ trials. To examine the best agent to combine with cisplatin, several landmark phase Ⅲ clinical trials were conducted by Gynecologic Oncology Group (GOG) and Japan Clinical Oncology Group (JCOG). Through, GOG204 and JCOG0505, paclitaxel/cisplatin (TP) and paclitaxel/carboplatin (TC) are now considered to be the recommended therapies for recurrent cervical cancer patients. However, the prognosis of patients who are already resistant to chemotherapy, are very poor. Therefore new therapeutic strategies are urgently required. Molecular targeted therapy will be the most hopeful candidate of these strategies. From the results of GOG240, bevacizumab combined with TP reached its primary endpoint of improving overall survival (OS). Although, the prognosis for recurrent cervical cancer patients is still poor, the results of GOG240 shed light on the usefulness of molecular target agents to chemotherapy in cancer patients. Recurrent cervical cancer is generally considered incurable and current chemotherapy regiments offer only modest gains in OS, particularly for patients with multiple poor prognostic factors. Therefore, it is crucial to consider not only the survival benefit, but also the minimization of treatment toxicity, and maximization of quality of life (QOL).

Feasibility study on combination chemotherapy using nogitecan hydrochloride (topotecan) and cisplatin for patients with metastatic, persistent, or recurrent uterine cervical cancer

BACKGROUND

The standard chemotherapeutic regimen for stage IVB, persistent, or recurrent uterine cervical cancer is platinum-based combination chemotherapy such as cisplatin (CDDP)/paclitaxel and CDDP/nogitecan hydrochloride (NGT, topotecan). Because it is unclear whether the CDDP/NGT combination chemotherapy is tolerable for Japanese patients, we conducted the present study to assess the feasibility of CDDP/NGT combination chemotherapy.

METHODS

Between June 2012 and April 2014, 15 patients with stage IVB, persistent, or recurrent uterine cervical cancer were enrolled in this study. Patients underwent six cycles of NGT at a dose of 0.75 mg/m², followed immediately by CDDP at a dose of 50 mg/m² on day 1 by intravenous infusion, and then NGT at a dose of 0.75 mg/m² on days 2 and 3.

RESULTS

Of 15 patients, 9 patients underwent at least 6 cycles of NGT/CDDP combination chemotherapy. Of a total of 83 cycles, 70 cycles (84.3 %) of NGT/CDDP combination chemotherapy could be continued at the starting dose of NGT (0.75 mg/m²). Grade 3/4 hematological toxicities included leukopenia in 10 patients (66.7 %), neutropenia in 15 (100 %), anemia in 6 (40.0 %), thrombocytopenia in 4 (26.7 %), and febrile neutropenia in 4 (26.7 %). The response rate according to RECIST was 27 % (3/11), with partial response in 3 patients.

CONCLUSIONS

NGT/CDDP combination chemotherapy may be a tolerable and effective regimen for Japanese patients with stage IVB, persistent, or recurrent uterine cervical cancer. Based on the results of this study, NGT/CDDP combination chemotherapy was approved in Japan in November 2015.

Development of bevacizumab in advanced cervical cancer: pharmacodynamic modeling, survival impact and toxicology

Historically, patients with metastatic, persistent or recurrent cervical cancer had limited therapeutic options. Despite several Phase II/III clinical trials, the combination of cisplatin and paclitaxel remained the most effective chemotherapeutic regimen. In 2014, publication of Gynecologic Oncology Group 240 represented the emergence of an alternate and effective therapeutic option. This prospective, randomized, Phase III clinical trial explored the impact of adding the antiangiogenic agent bevacizumab to two separate cytotoxic chemotherapy backbones. Importantly, the study met its primary end point, showing a survival advantage of approximately 4 months without detriment in quality of life. As such, a review of bevacizumab and its application in patients with advanced-stage cervical cancer is warranted.

Profile of bevacizumab and its potential in the treatment of cervical cancer

Blocking angiogenesis is an effective antitumor strategy proven in many disease sites. Anti-angiogenic therapies are fulfilling the promise of improved outcomes in cervical cancer as demonstrated in several recent trials. With its overall survival improvement in metastatic or recurrent cervical cancer, a frame shift in the management of these patients has occurred. The US Food and Drug Administration approval of bevacizumab in advanced cervical cancer has led to national guidelines, including the US National Comprehensive Cancer Network guidelines for cervical cancer, including systemic regimens containing bevacizumab as first line combination therapy. Future trials will build on this anti-angiogenesis backbone via targeting additional novel pathways and potentially leading to further improved outcomes in cervical cancer.

Clinical usefulness of the oral chemotherapy agent S-1 in heavily pre-treated patients with advanced or recurrent cervical cancer

PURPOSE

Our aim was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of S-1 in heavily pre-treated patients with advanced (FIGO stage IVB) or recurrent cervical cancer.

METHODS

The Institutional Review Board of our hospital approved the protocol for this retrospective phase II study. Patients with measurable disease received two oral doses of S-1 (35 mg/m(2)) daily for 4 weeks of a 6-week cycle or 2 weeks of a 3-week cycle. The antitumor effect, time to progression, overall survival, and adverse events were investigated.

RESULTS

We retrospectively analyzed relevant data of 28 patients with advanced or recurrent cervical cancer. Twenty-two patients had prior chemotherapy (not including chemoradiotherapy) and 27 had prior radiotherapy. The median number of prior chemotherapy regimens and cycles was 2 (range 0-4) and 7 (range 0-35), respectively. Two patients (7.1%) had partial response, and 10 patients (35.7%) had stable disease. Ten patients (35.7%) discontinued the therapy because of progressive disease. The response in 5 patients could not be evaluated because of termination of treatment in the middle of the first cycle. The disease control rate was 42.8%. After a median follow-up duration of 7.5 months, the median time to progression was 4.2 months (95% CI 2.7-5.4) and the median overall survival was 9.92 months (95% CI 9.20-NA). The two patients with partial response had received less prior chemotherapy.

CONCLUSIONS

Oral S-1 in palliative chemotherapy is a useful and well-tolerated treatment in heavily pre-treated patients with advanced or recurrent uterine cervical cancer.

Personalized peptide vaccination for cervical cancer patients who have received prior platinum-based chemotherapy

A feasibility study was performed to evaluate the immunological efficacy and safety of a personalized peptide vaccine (PPV) for cervical cancer patients who have received platinum-based chemotherapy. A total of 24 patients with standard chemotherapy-resistant cervical cancer, including 18 recurrent cases, were enrolled in this study and received a maximum of 4 peptides based on HLA-A types and IgG levels to the vaccine candidate peptides in pre-vaccination plasma. The parental protein expression of most of the vaccine peptides was confirmed in the cervical cancer tissues. No vaccine-related systemic grade 3 or 4 adverse events were observed in any patients. Due to disease progression, 2 patients failed to complete the first cycle of vaccinations (sixth vaccination). Cytotoxic T-lymphocyte (CTL) or IgG responses specific for the peptides used for vaccination were augmented in half of cases after the first cycle. The median overall survival was 8.3 months. The clinical responses of the evaluable 18 cases consisted of 1 case with a partial response and 17 cases with disease progression; the remaining 6 cases were not evaluable. Performance status, injection site skin reaction and circulating PD-1⁺CD4⁺ T-cells were significantly prognostic of overall survival, and multivariate analysis also indicated that the performance status and circulating PD-1⁺CD4⁺ T-cells were prognostic. Because of the safety and immunological efficacy of PPV and the possible prolongation of overall survival, further clinical trials of PPV at a larger scale in advanced or recurrent cervical cancer patients who have received prior platinum-based chemotherapy are recommended.

In vitro chemoresponse analysis of cervical cancer patient specimens

PURPOSE

The objective of this study was to report the results of in vitro chemoresponse analysis of primary, metastatic, and recurrent human cervical cancers.

METHODS

There were 557 tumor specimens submitted for testing from August 2006 to June 2010. Single agents tested were cisplatin, carboplatin, paclitaxel, docetaxel, epirubicin, fluorouracil, 4-hydroxy ifosfamide (active metabolite of ifosfamide), SN-38 (active metabolite of irinotecan), topotecan, and vinorelbine. Doublets tested were carboplatin/paclitaxel and cisplatin/topotecan. Tumor response was determined from dose-response curves. Results were scored as responsive, intermediate, or nonresponsive. Chemoresponse was reported as the combined responsive and intermediate results.

RESULTS

Three hundred fifty-three (63.4%) of 557 submitted specimens were successfully assayed. Confirmation of histology and tumor status (primary, metastatic, or recurrent) was available for 273 specimens. The chemoresponse of the most active agents in primary cancers (n = 151) was 75% for SN-38, 71% for 4-hydroxy ifosfamide, 62% for topotecan, and 73% for carboplatin/paclitaxel. The chemoresponse of metastatic cancers (n = 66) was 54% for SN-38, 51% for 4-hydroxy ifosfamide, 44% for epirubicin, and 53% for carboplatin/paclitaxel. The chemoresponse for recurrent cancers (n = 56) was 44% for epirubicin, 41% for 4-hydroxy ifosfamide, 39% for vinorelbine, 39% for paclitaxel, 36% for topotecan, 46% for carboplatin/paclitaxel, and 35% for cisplatin/topotecan. The overall chemoresponse was greater in primary cancers (58%) than in recurrent cancers (35%) (P < 0.0001).

CONCLUSIONS

In vitro chemoresponse analysis of cervical cancer biospecimens is feasible. Chemoresponse results are variable depending on tumor status. Clinical studies of assay-directed therapy should be developed.

Chemotherapy in the treatment of metastatic, persistent, and recurrent cervical cancer

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Patients with cervical cancer represent a vulnerable population with limited chemotherapeutic options. This year, two large trials focusing on detection/screening and treatment of advanced stage cervical cancer were featured in the opening plenary session of the American Society of Clinical Oncology Annual Meeting. As such, a review of the evolution of chemotherapy in the treatment of this disease is warranted.

RECENT FINDINGS

Following the establishment of cisplatin as an effective single-agent regimen in patients with advanced stage, recurrent, or persistent cervical cancer, several platinum-containing combinations were studied. Ultimately, the adoption of cisplatin chemosensitizing radiation resulted in relative 'cisplatin resistance' and the concept of nonplatinum doublets emerged as an active area of investigation.

SUMMARY

In an era of biologics, combined therapy with cytotoxic drugs and molecular targeted agents, as well as the use of nonplatinum doublets, represent an exciting area yet to be fully explored.

Cytotoxic and targeted systemic therapy in advanced and recurrent cervical cancer: experience from clinical trials

Cervical cancer is the third most common malignant disease of women worldwide. Despite advances in screening and treatment strategies, a significant number of patients have advanced and recurrent disease. These patients are not amenable to curative treatments, such as surgery and radiation, and have poor prognosis. Therefore, palliative treatment remains the standard of care for these patients. Several phase II/III trials have demonstrated that cisplatin is the most active single agent, and the combination of cisplatin and paclitaxel is considered a standard regimen for clinical practice and trials in these patients with improved response rates and progression-free intervals. Although other cisplatin doublet chemotherapy regimens were not superior to cisplatin plus paclitaxel, substituting topotecan or gemcitabine for paclitaxel might be helpful for some patients considering different toxicity profiles. Because the response to palliative chemotherapy is poor, several targeted agents including bevacizumab, erlotinib, pazopanib, lapatinib, sunitinib and cetuximab, each of which inhibits cell proliferation and angiogenesis, were evaluated in these patients. Of them, bevacizumab, targeting vascular endothelial growth factor, showed favorable results. Recent phase III trial showed that bevacizumab combined with chemotherapy was shown to significantly improve the response rate, progression-free interval, and overall survival compared to chemotherapy alone. These results suggest that targeted agents could significantly improve survival and affect practice guidelines in these patients showing poor prognosis. Thus, future trials using newly developed targeted agents are warranted to improve treatment strategies in these patients.

Targeting angiogenesis in advanced cervical cancer

Patients with advanced stage or recurrent cervical cancer represent a population with limited chemotherapeutic options. More specifically, patients with recurrent disease have a poor salvage rate, with a 5-year survival rate of less than 10%. This year, the first prospective phase III clinical trial exploring the anti-angiogenic agent, bevacizumab, was published, meeting its primary endpoint, with a significant improvement in overall survival. As such, a review of anti-angiogenic therapy in the treatment of this disease is warranted.

Phase 2 trial of paclitaxel, 13-cis retinoic acid, and interferon alfa-2b in the treatment of advanced stage or recurrent cervical cancer

OBJECTIVE

Overexpression of bcl-2 is a mechanism of drug resistance in cervical cancer. Agents that down-regulate bcl-2 may decrease tumor cell threshold and sensitize tumor cells to chemotherapy. The objective of this multi-institutional phase 2 trial was to evaluate the efficacy and toxicity of paclitaxel and bcl-2 modulators (13-cis retinoic acid and interferon alfa-2b) in patients with advanced-stage or recurrent cervical cancer.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Patients had biopsy-proven metastatic, first relapse, or persistent cervical cancer with no prior chemotherapy except for chemosensitizing agents. The treatment consisted of oral 13-cis retinoic acid, 1 mg/kg, and subcutaneous interferon alfa-2b, 6 mU/m, days 1 to 4, and intravenous paclitaxel, 175 mg/m, day 4 until disease progression or adverse events prohibited treatment. The primary endpoint was overall response rate.

RESULTS

Thirty-three patients were enrolled between March 2001 and June 2009. Thirty-one patients were eligible for evaluation of treatment response. Twenty-seven patients (82%) received prior concurrent chemoradiation or radiotherapy alone before study enrollment. The overall response rate was 30% (6 complete responses and 4 partial responses). Furthermore, 7 patients (21%) had stable disease. Grade 3 or 4 adverse events included neutropenia (n =16 [48%]), febrile neutropenia (n = 1 [3%]), and anemia (n = 1 [3%]). There were no treatment-related deaths. The median progression-free survival was 3.4 months (95% confidence interval, 2.0-7.4 months), and overall survival was 11.2 months (95% confidence interval, 7.5-26.2 months). Of 6 patients with complete responses, 5 patients survived more than 2 years.

CONCLUSIONS

Combination therapy with paclitaxel, 13-cis retinoic acid, and interferon alfa-2b is feasible and safe in treating patients with advanced and recurrent cervical cancer.

Pemetrexed and cisplatin for the treatment of advanced, persistent, or recurrent carcinoma of the cervix: a limited access phase II trial of the gynecologic oncology group

PURPOSE

To estimate the antitumor activity of pemetrexed and cisplatin with objective tumor response (partial and complete) in patients with advanced, persistent, or recurrent carcinoma of the cervix and to determine the nature and degree of toxicity of this regimen. Secondarily, this study will determine the effects of this regimen on progression-free survival and overall survival.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Eligible, consenting patients received pemetrexed 500 mg/m(2) and cisplatin 50 mg/m(2) intravenously repeated every 21 days until disease progression or adverse events prohibited further therapy. Patients received no prior therapeutic chemotherapy, except when administered concurrently with primary radiation therapy. Subsequent doses were adjusted according to observed toxicity and protocol guidelines. Adverse events were assessed with Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events v 3.0. The primary measure of efficacy was tumor response according to Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors. The study was stratified by prior radiation therapy.

RESULTS

From September 2008 to November 2011, 55 patients were enrolled by five Gynecologic Oncology Group member institutions; of those, 54 patients were eligible and assessable. The regimen was well tolerated with 26% receiving more than nine cycles. The most common greater than grade 2 toxicities were neutropenia 35%, leukopenia 28%, and metabolic 28%. The overall response rate was 31% (one complete and 16 partial). The median progression-free survival was 5.7 months, and overall survival was 12.3 months.

CONCLUSION

Pemetrexed in combination with cisplatin demonstrates activity in the treatment of advanced, persistent, or recurrent carcinoma of the cervix.

Beyond angiogenesis blockade: targeted therapy for advanced cervical cancer

The global burden of advanced stage cervical cancer remains significant, particular in resource poor countries where effective screening programs are absent. Unfortunately, a proportion of patients will be diagnosed with advanced stage disease, and may suffer from persistent or recurrent disease despite treatment with combination chemotherapy and radiation. Patients with recurrent disease have a poor salvage rate, with an expected 5-year survival of less than 10%. Recently, significant gains have been made in the antiangiogenic arena; nonetheless the need to develop effective alternate targeted strategies is implicit. As such, a review of molecular targeted therapy in the treatment of this disease is warranted. In an era of biologics, combined therapy with cytotoxic drugs and molecular targeted agents, represents an exciting arena yet to be fully explored.

Clinical potential of bevacizumab in the treatment of metastatic and locally advanced cervical cancer: current evidence

The addition of bevacizumab to established therapies for metastatic and locally advanced cervical cancer is an area of evolving research and a potential strategy toward improving historically suboptimal outcomes for women with advanced disease. Bevacizumab, when added to first-line chemotherapy, has now been shown to improve overall survival among women with metastatic cervical cancer, and recent Phase II data suggests it is safe and effective for patients with locally advanced disease treated with curative intent. Here we review the rationale and current evidence for bevacizumab in clinical practice, with an emphasis on the emerging role of bevacizumab in the treatment of metastatic and locally advanced cervical cancer.