Semir Vranić

The immunotherapy breakthroughs in cervical cancer: Focus on potential biomarkers and further therapy advances

Despite the well-established role of human papillomavirus (HPV) as the primary cause of cervical cancer (CC) and the existence of an effective HPV vaccine, over half a million women are diagnosed with CC globally each year, with more than half of them dying from the disease. Immunotherapy has rapidly become a cornerstone of cancer treatment, offering substantial improvements in survival rates and reducing treatment-related side effects compared to traditional therapies. For the past 25 years, chemoradiotherapy (CRT) has been the standard treatment for locally advanced CC (LACC). However, while adjuvant chemotherapy has failed to improve outcomes in LACC, the integration of neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) with CRT, as well as chemoimmunoradiotherapy followed by consolidation immunotherapy, has transformed treatment strategies, demonstrating superior efficacy compared to CRT alone. In the first-line treatment of CC, adding pembrolizumab to platinum-based chemotherapy, either with or without bevacizumab, has significantly improved outcomes compared to platinum-based chemotherapy and bevacizumab alone. This review explores the current landscape of immunotherapy and biomarker advancements in CC. Furthermore, we discuss promising future directions, including the potential of personalized immunotherapy approaches and novel combination therapies to further enhance treatment efficacy and improve prognoses for patients with CC.

Advanced adult granulosa cell tumor with prominent fibromatous stroma: A case report

The role of glycogen synthase kinase 3 (GSK3) in cancer with emphasis on ovarian cancer development and progression: A comprehensive review

Glycogen synthase kinase 3 (GSK3) is a monomeric serine-threonine kinase discovered in 1980 in a rat skeletal muscle. It has been involved in various cellular processes including embryogenesis, immune response, inflammation, apoptosis, autophagy, wound healing, neurodegeneration and carcinogenesis. GSK3 exists in two different isoforms, GSK3α and GSK3β, both containing seven antiparallel beta-plates, a short linking part and an alpha helix, but coded by different genes and variously expressed in human tissues. In the current review, we comprehensively appraise the current literature on the role of GSK3 in various cancers with emphasis on ovarian carcinoma. Our findings indicate that the role of GSK3 in ovarian cancer development cannot be decisively determined as the currently available data support both prooncogenic and tumor-suppressive effects. Likewise, the clinical impact of GSK3 expression on ovarian cancer patients and its potential therapeutic implications are also limited. Further studies are needed to fully elucidate the pathophysiological and clinical implications of GSK3 activity in ovarian cancer.