Onkológia 1/2023

The role of immunotherapy in gynaecological malignancies

The first use of immunotherapy in the treatment of gynecological malignancies dates back to the last century, when Bacillus Calmette– Guérin (BCG) vaccine therapy was tested in the treatment of ovarian cancer. Even today, vaccination has its place. The preventive vaccine against the human papillomavirus (HPV) is the best choice for the prevention of malignant tumors related to HPV infection. The development of a therapeutic vaccine against HPV-positive cervical cancer will mean a huge success in the treatment of malignant tumors. Immunotherapy represents a new breakthrough therapeutic modality for the treatment of gynecological malignancies. It plays an important role in the treatment of cancer of the body and cervix, where the current treatment results of hormone therapy and chemotherapy are insufficient. It was immunotherapy that extended the median overall survival in the treatment of cervical cancer up to 24 months. The evident benefit of immunotherapy is also documented in the treatment of carcinoma of the uterine body. Immunotherapy of ovarian cancer has not yet brought the expected results. The results of studies of immunotherapy in combination with PARP inhibitors in the treatment of ovarian cancer will be gradually presented this calendar year.

Keywords: imunotherapy, gynaecological malignancies