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Immunotherapy in Gynecologic Cancers: Are We There Yet?

  • Gynecologic Cancers (LA Cantrell, Section Editor)
  • Published:
Current Treatment Options in Oncology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Opinion statement

Immune-targeted therapies have demonstrated durable responses in many tumor types with limited treatment options and poor overall prognosis. This has led to enthusiasm for expanding such therapies to other tumor types including gynecologic malignancies. The use of immunotherapy in gynecologic malignancies is in the early stages and is an active area of ongoing clinical research. Both cancer vaccines and immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy continue to be extensively studied in gynecologic malignancies. Immune checkpoint inhibitors, in particular, hold promising potential in specific subsets of endometrial cancer that express microsatellite instability. The key to successful treatment with immunotherapy involves identification of the subgroup of patients that will derive benefit. The number of ongoing trials in cervical, ovarian, and endometrial cancer will help to recognize these patients and make treatment more directed. Additionally, a number of studies are combining immunotherapy with standard treatment options and will help to determine combinations that will enhance responses to standard therapy. Overall, there is much enthusiasm for immunotherapy approaches in gynecologic malignancies. However, the emerging data shows that with the exception of microsatellite unstable tumors, the use of single-agent immune checkpoint inhibitors is associated with response rates of 10–15%. More effective and likely combinatorial approaches are needed and will be informed by the findings of ongoing trials.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Gynecologic Oncology-Unit 1362 and Reproductive Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 1155 Herman Pressler, CPB6.3258, Houston, TX, 77030-3721, USA

    Janelle B. Pakish MD, MS

  2. Department of Gynecologic Oncology- Unit 1362, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 1155 Herman Pressler, CPB6.3558, Houston, TX, 77030-3721, USA

    Amir A. Jazaeri MD

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  1. Janelle B. Pakish MD, MS
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Correspondence to Janelle B. Pakish MD, MS.

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Conflict of Interest

Janelle B. Pakish declares that she has no conflicts of interest.

Amir A. Jazaeri declares that he has received research funding from AstraZeneca, Iovance Biotherapeutics, Pfizer, and Bristol-Myers Squibb. He has served on Advisory Boards for Genentech-Roche and EMD-Serono.

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This article does not contain any studies with human or animal subjects performed by any of the authors.

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This article is part of the Topical Collection on Gynecologic Cancers

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Pakish, J.B., Jazaeri, A.A. Immunotherapy in Gynecologic Cancers: Are We There Yet?. Curr. Treat. Options in Oncol. 18, 59 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11864-017-0504-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11864-017-0504-y

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