Clinical Trials Pave the Way for Advances in Cervical Cancer Treatment
Cervical cancer was once one of the most common causes of cancer death for American women. Vaccination to prevent HPV (human papilloma virus), the cause of most cervical cancers, combined with standard PAP and HPV test screening, have drastically reduced the occurrence and death rate over the past several decades. Clinical trials continue to pave the way to the discovery of new treatments for cancers that were previously considered incurable, including cervical cancer, which will be diagnosed in more than 13,000 women in the U.S. this year.
The good news? Cervical cancer today is highly treatable, especially when found early.
Bradley Monk, MD, medical director of late-phase research for Florida Cancer Specialists & Research Institute, LLC (FCS), is co-author of a newly-published abstract in nature reviews clinical oncology that highlights the evolution of treatments for cervical cancers across all stages, brought about through clinical trials.
“Clinical trials have refined or redefined the treatment of cervical cancers with the discovery of ground-breaking new drugs and therapies,” said Dr. Monk, a board-certified gynecologic oncologist who has been instrumental in advancing clinical and scientific research in the field of gynecologic malignancies in community settings throughout his career.
The earliest stages of cervical cancer are most commonly treated with surgery or radiation, sometimes combined with chemotherapy. Radiation and/or chemotherapy are often used to treat advanced cervical cancer. However, novel treatments and practice-changing research have improved cervical cancer outcomes over the past few decades.
The abstract discusses clinical trials that have improved treatment effectiveness and highlights emerging therapies that are contributing to decreases in morbidity and improvements in overall survival for cervical cancer patients. Most notably:
- Less extensive, minimally invasive surgical approaches that help to preserve fertility.
- Progress made to enhance traditional chemotherapy, including the use of drugs (antibody-drug conjugates) that block the growth of tumors, therapies (known as immune-checkpoint inhibitors) that help the immune system recognize and attack cancer cells more effectively and drugs designed to deliver treatment directly to the tumor.
At FCS, Dr. Monk oversees late-phase trials that involve the critical final steps in transforming the standard of care, bringing groundbreaking new therapies and drugs to cancer patients. “Every cancer treatment, drug or therapy that is in place today had its start in a clinical trial,” he said. “Patients who participate not only receive the latest treatments available, which can have positive impacts on their outcomes, they help us uncover critical new information that offers new hope for cancer patients worldwide.”
As one of the largest clinical research programs in the country, FCS provides access to more than 150 clinical trials at any given time within its 29 late-phase designated FCS clinics and three Drug Development Units, where research is conducted on new treatments when they are first developed, prior to FDA approval. In fact, the majority of new cancer drugs approved for use in the U.S. have been studied in clinical trials with FCS participation.
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While each January is designated Cervical Cancer Awareness Month, Dr. Monk points out that women of all ages need to be vigilant about prevention and screening for gynecologic cancers. “Because early-stage cervical cancer can take years to develop and does not usually produce symptoms, early detection through screening greatly improves the chances of successful treatment and can prevent any early cervical cell changes from becoming cancer,” said Dr. Monk.
Getting Tested
Pap tests are recommended every three years for women ages 21 to 29 and then every three or five years in addition to an HPV test until age 65. Nearly 20 percent of new cases are diagnosed in women over age 65, especially those who have not gotten regular screenings. Talk with your doctor for guidance. Women who have had a total hysterectomy can discontinue cervical cancer screening.
Since more than 90 percent of cervical cancers are caused by HPV, vaccines have been a tremendous addition to prevention. According to the American Cancer Society’s Facts & Figures 2025, a large decrease in new cervical cancer cases for women under 30 years of age is directly attributed to the HPV vaccine, which was first made available to this population.
HPV vaccines are recommended for girls and boys between ages 9 and 12, and for young adults ages 13 through 26 who have not been vaccinated or received all doses. These vaccines are not recommended for adults over age 26.
Ongoing medical research involving a growing number of clinical trials are expected to yield more screening tests, genomic testing, new drugs and immunotherapy treatment options for beating the various cancers of a woman’s reproductive tract.
Oncology experts, including Dr. Monk, remain upbeat, and many believe that with a continued comprehensive approach to prevention, screening and treatment, cervical cancer can be eliminated within our generation.
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