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Antibody-Drug Conjugates in Gynecologic Cancers

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Opinion Statement

Antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) are a novel class of targeted cancer therapies with the ability to selectively deliver a cytotoxic drug to a tumor cell using a monoclonal antibody linked to a cytotoxic payload. The technology of ADCs allows for tumor-specificity, improved efficacy, and decreased toxicity compared to standard chemotherapy. Common toxicities associated with ADC use include ocular, pulmonary, hematologic, and neurologic toxicities. Several ADCs have been approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the management of patients with recurrent or metastatic gynecologic cancers, a population with poor outcomes and limited effective treatment options. The first FDA-approved ADC for recurrent or metastatic cervical cancer was tisotumab vedotin, a tissue factor-targeting agent, after demonstrating response in the innovaTV 204 trial. Mirvetuximab soravtansine targets folate receptor alpha and is approved for use in patients with folate receptor alpha-positive, platinum-resistant, epithelial ovarian cancer based on results from the SORAYA trial. While there are no FDA-approved ADCs for the treatment of uterine cancer, trastuzumab deruxtecan, an anti-human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) agent, is actively being investigated. In this review, we will describe the structure and mechanism of action of ADCs, discuss their toxicity profiles, review ADCs both approved and under investigation for the management of gynecologic cancers, and discuss mechanisms of ADC resistance.

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  1. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, 27705, USA

    Mary Katherine Anastasio MD & Brittany A. Davidson MD

  2. Department of Pharmacy, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA

    Stephanie Shuey PharmD

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MKA and SS wrote the main manuscript text. MKA prepared figure 1 and tables 1 and 2. All authors reviewed the manuscript.

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Anastasio, M.K., Shuey, S. & Davidson, B.A. Antibody-Drug Conjugates in Gynecologic Cancers. Curr. Treat. Options in Oncol. 25, 1–19 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11864-023-01166-0

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