Improving cervical cancer survival–A multifaceted strategy to sustain progress for this global problem

Abstract

Cervical cancer is associated with profound socioeconomic and racial disparities in incidence, mortality, morbidity, and years of life lost. The last standard-of-care treatment innovation for locally advanced cervical cancer occurred in 1999, when cisplatin chemotherapy was added to pelvic radiation therapy (chemoradiation therapy). Chemoradiation therapy is associated with a 30%-50% failure rate, and there is currently no cure for recurrent or metastatic disease. The enormity of the worldwide clinical problem of cervical cancer morbidity and mortality as well as the egregiously unchanged mortality rate over the last several decades are recognized by the National Institutes of Health as urgent priorities. This is reflected within the Office of Research on Women's Health effort to advance National Institutes of Health research on the health of women, as highlighted in a recent symposium. In the current review, the authors address the state of the science and opportunities to improve cervical cancer survival with an emphasis on improving access, using technology in innovative and widely implementable ways, and improving current understanding of cervical cancer biology. Lay summary:� Cervical cancer is associated with profound socioeconomic and racial disparities in incidence, mortality, morbidity, and years of life lost. � In this review, the state of the science and opportunities to improve cervical cancer survival are presented with an emphasis on improving access, using See commentary on pages 4041-6 and referenced review article on pages 4063-73, this issue.

KIF23 promotes cervical cancer progression via inhibiting NLRP3‐mediated pyroptosis

“…1,2 The tumorigenesis and infiltration of CC have been closely linked to the persistent infection and genome integration of human papillomavirus. 3 The surgical resection, radiotherapy and chemotherapy 4 are historically considered as the primary strategies for local curative treatments of CC, 5 while the development of immune checkpoint inhibitors and immunotherapy also play a role of significant improvements in a variety of disease settings with cervical tumors. 6 Recent human papillomavirus vaccination and increasing screening are effective strategies to reduce the incidence of CC, but not widely accepted due to perceived high cost.…”

Twenty-five-year mortality trends of four major histological subtypes of cervical cancer: a population-based study using the Osaka cancer registry data

“…With the marked advances in surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and immunotherapy, the survival of patients with cervical cancer in the early-stage, advanced-stage, and recurrent settings, especially with SCC or A/AS histology, has significantly improved in the last 25 years ( 11 ). However, because patients with SCNEC had been excluded from previous landmark studies, a novel treatment strategy specifically targeting SCNEC has not yet been established.…”