Novel Chemotherapy Approaches for Cervical Cancer

Cancer of the cervix is the second most common malignancy among women worldwide. The last 20 years have lead to numerous advances in the medical management of locally advanced cervical cancer, including preventive vaccination, chemoradiation, and neoadjuvant chemotherapy. The treatment of metastatic disease is palliative at best. Platinum-based chemotherapy remains the standard of care for inoperable patients who have recurrent disease. However, because most patients initially receive concomitant platinum-based therapy with radiation, many recurrent tumors are refractory to platinum. The use of novel therapeutic approaches targeted to the carcinogenic processes that leads to the ontogenesis of cervical cancer should be promoted in clinical studies to improve patient outcomes. Cancer 2009;115:3166-80. (C) 2009 American Cancer Society.