Adaptive Technology May Limit Radiation-Related Toxicity in Cervical Cancer

Ongoing studies using real-time plans for those with advanced cervical cancer may further reduce the extent of toxicity that patients experience following chemoradiation with adaptive technology, said Jyoti S. Mayadev, MD, in a conversation with CancerNetwork^®.

Mayadev, a board-certified radiation oncologist and professor of radiation medicine and applied sciences at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine, spoke about future research that may potentially help improve survival outcomes among those with advanced cervical cancer following the FDA approval of pembrolizumab/chemoradiation for patients with stage III to IVA disease.¹ Although pembrolizumab plus chemoradiotherapy demonstrated a 24-month progression-free survival rate of 67.8% (95% CI, 61.8%-73.0%) in the phase 3 KEYNOTE-A18 trial (NCT04221945), she said that this was an outcome that needed to be improved upon, potentially with novel therapeutic options administered prior to chemoradiation.²

Transcript:

We’ve learned that through clinical trials, we can make outcome improvements in cervical cancer. There are agents that are effective, and can translate to a clinically meaningful benefit in terms of survival for these patients. And at the same time, [a progression-free survival rate of] 67% [with pembrolizumab/chemoradiation] is still a goal that we need to improve upon. Within various cooperative groups, there are various regimens that we’re looking at, novel therapeutics, and perhaps starting certain agents before the chemoradiation. These are options that will continue to potentially improve outcomes in patients.

From a radiation perspective, there are ongoing studies looking at adaptive technology, which translates into treating the patient with a real-time plan. This could potentially further decrease any type of [adverse] effects that would be incumbent on the patient after chemoradiation. We continue to strive as a scientific and academic community to keep improving the outcomes of these patients. I appreciate all the attention that everyone has given in terms of the community and the scientific community to cervical cancer outcomes.

References

1. FDA approves pembrolizumab with chemoradiotherapy for FIGO 2014 stage III-IVA cervical cancer. News release. January 12, 2024. Accessed January 12, 2024. https://bit.ly/3NZNGPb
2. Lorusso D, Xiang Y, Hasegawa K, et al. ENGOT-cx11/GOG-3047/KEYNOTE-A18: a randomized, double-blind, phase 3 study of pembrolizumab plus chemoradiotherapy for high-risk locally advanced cervical cancer. Presented at 2023 Annual Global Meeting of the International Gynecologic Cancer Society; November 5-7, 2023; Seoul, South Korea. Abstract SE004/1614.