Rational design for cervical cancer therapeutics: cellular and non-cellular based strategies on the horizon for recurrent, metastatic or refractory cervical cancer

Introduction: Though cervical cytology, HPV DNA testing, and pre-invasive disease management has significantly reduced the number of new diagnoses of cervical cancer, women with persistent oncogenic HPV infection are at significant risk for developing invasive cervical cancer. Early stage and locally advanced disease can be cured, but women with advanced or recurrent disease have a very poor prognosis. This underscores the need for different treatment strategies for advanced cervical cancer, the most promising of which are novel therapeutics that target the ability of HPV to overcome host immune tolerance. Areas covered: This review includes new therapies being investigated for the treatment of recurrent, metastatic or refractory cervical cancer, separated into broad categories of cellular and non-cellular based strategies. Expert opinion: Advanced and recurrent cervical cancer has a poor prognosis, prompting investigations into the development of strategies that will eradicate tumor and/or overcome host immunologic tolerance of disease. It is unknown whether it will be these strategies alone or a combination of treatment modalities that will ultimately provide the best outcomes; nevertheless, the new data are promising.