Latest findings in chemotherapy

Abstract

Radiotherapy and surgery are the two pivotal curative treatments for cervical cancer. Although cervical cancer is relatively sensitive to chemotherapy, chemotherapy is not included in the curative treatment of cervical cancer and has a role in limited medical conditions. Chemotherapy used to treat cervical cancer can be divided into four categories: (1) preceding chemotherapy (neoadjuvant chemotherapy) to augment the effects of radical therapy (surgery or radiation therapy), (2) chemotherapy administered concurrently with radiation therapy, and (3) adjuvant chemotherapy administered after radical therapy. In addition, (4) chemotherapy is used to prolong survival and alleviate symptoms in patients who cannot be radically cured. Recently, molecular targeted agents, angiogenesis inhibitors, and immune checkpoint inhibitors have been incorporated into existing chemotherapy regimens. This review summarizes these trends along with the history of chemotherapy for cervical cancer.