Clinical Efficacy and Safety of Immunotherapy Retreatment in Metastatic Cervical Cancer: A Retrospective Study

Abstract

Purpose

Metastatic cervical cancer has a poor prognosis, and treatment options are limited. Immunotherapy has been used to achieve disease control in patients with cervical cancer; however, the efficacy of immunotherapy retreatment after disease progression is unclear. This study aimed to explore the efficacy and safety of immunotherapy retreatment in metastatic cervical cancer.

Patients and methods

We retrospectively reviewed the clinical data of patients with metastatic cervical cancer who underwent immunotherapy retreatment after disease progression following previous immunotherapy from June 2019 to April 2021.

Results

Fifteen patients were included in this study. All patients received combination immunotherapy retreatment consisting of camrelizumab, nab-paclitaxel, and apatinib. Four (26.7%) patients achieved partial response while three (20.0%) achieved stable disease. The objective response rate and disease control rate were 26.7% and 46.7%, respectively. The median progression-free survival and overall survival were 3.0 (95% confidence interval: 1.0–5.0) and 8.0 (95% confidence interval: 3.4–12.6) months, respectively. None of the patients discontinued treatment because of intolerable toxicity.

Conclusion

Our findings suggest that the triplet combination immunotherapy retreatment could be a therapeutic option for patients with metastatic cervical cancer who failed initial immunotherapy.

Keywords:

• apatinib
• camrelizumab
• disease progression
• nab-paclitaxel
• survival
• toxicity

Data Sharing Statement

The data used to support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

Ethical Statement

This study was approved by the Ethics Committee of the Union Hospital of Huazhong University of Science and Technology (20220023).

Acknowledgments

We would like to thank Editage for the English language editing.

Author Contributions

All authors made a significant contribution to the work reported, whether that is in the conception, study design, execution, acquisition of data, analysis and interpretation, or in all these areas; took part in drafting, revising or critically reviewing the article; gave final approval of the version to be published; have agreed on the journal to which the article has been submitted; and agree to be accountable for all aspects of the work.

Disclosure

The authors report no conflicts of interest in this work.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (grant number 81902854).