Cervical cancer is largely preventable through HPV vaccination and screening, yet it remains a leading cause of cancer death worldwide. Treatment depends on stage: early cases may be cured with surgery, while advanced disease requires chemotherapy, radiation, or newer targeted drugs. Most research now focuses on immune therapies and on reaching women who lack access to screening.
What's actually going on in research
Trials are testing immune checkpoint inhibitors that help the body attack HPV-driven cancer cells, antibody-drug conjugates that deliver chemotherapy directly to tumors, and combinations that may work better than radiation plus chemotherapy. Researchers are also studying therapeutic vaccines aimed at clearing persistent HPV infection and preventing recurrence after initial treatment.
Immune checkpoint inhibitors
Pembrolizumab is FDA-approved for advanced cervical cancer and is now being tested earlier in treatment. Trials are exploring whether adding it to standard chemotherapy and radiation improves outcomes.
Antibody-drug conjugates
These drugs attach chemotherapy to antibodies that find cancer cells, reducing damage to healthy tissue. Tisotumab vedotin was approved in 2021 and newer versions are in trials.
Therapeutic HPV vaccines
Unlike preventive HPV vaccines, these aim to treat existing infection or cancer by training the immune system to attack HPV-infected cells. Early trials are testing them in precancerous lesions and after surgery.
What to know before you search
Eligibility typically depends on cancer stage, HPV status, prior treatments, and whether disease has recurred or spread beyond the cervix.
What types of trials are currently open
- Immunotherapy trials — Testing checkpoint inhibitors alone or combined with chemotherapy and radiation, often for locally advanced or recurrent disease.
- Targeted therapy trials — Testing antibody-drug conjugates and drugs that target specific proteins on cervical cancer cells.
- Combination trials — Comparing new drug combinations against the standard of chemotherapy plus radiation, aiming to improve survival or reduce side effects.
- Vaccine trials — Testing therapeutic vaccines designed to eliminate HPV or prevent cancer from returning after treatment.
- Biomarker studies — Collecting tumor samples to identify which patients respond best to immunotherapy or other treatments.
Recently added Cervical Cancer trials
Donate a cervical sample to help detect ovarian cancer early
High-grade serous ovarian carcinoma (HGSOC) is the deadliest gynaecological tumour. The 5-year overall survival rate for advanced-stage disease is less than 30 per cent, due to diagnosis at an advanced stage. There is currently no validated screening test for ovarian cancer. According to the literature, the current hypothesis is that HGSOCs develop primarily from the distal part of the fallopian tube, which is anatomically close to the lower genital tract. Tumour cells have even been observed in cervical smears. Studies suggest that early diagnosis of HGSOC is possible non-invasively by detecting pathogenic variants of the TP53 gene in DNA extracted from cervical smears. Studies suggest that early diagnosis of HGSOC is possible using non-invasive methods by detecting pathogenic variants in the TP53 gene in deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) extracted from cervical smears. In 2023, whole-genome sequencing (WGS) of DNA extracted from cervical smears to detect genomic instability successfully identified the presence of high-grade serous ovarian cancer up to nine years before diagnosis. This study demonstrates the feasibility of early diagnosis of ovarian cancer using genomic instability analysis via Shallow-coverage whole-genome sequencing (sWGS) on DNA obtained from cervical smears. This study aim to confirm the feasibility of diagnosing high-grade serous ovarian carcinoma by analysing genomic instability via sWGS on DNA extracted from liquid-based cervical smears, using a homogeneous series of samples from patients treated at the Toulouse University Cancer Institute-Oncopole (IUCT-Oncopole).
Share your medical data to predict treatment side effects
This multicenter, prospective, observational cohort study aims to evaluate a previously developed dynamic risk prediction model for severe treatment-related myelosuppression in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma receiving systemic therapy. The model is designed to estimate the risk of grade 3 or higher anemia, thrombocytopenia, and leukopenia or neutropenia during treatment. Eligible adult patients with histologically confirmed nasopharyngeal carcinoma will be consecutively enrolled at participating centers. Before each cycle of systemic therapy, routinely available clinical and laboratory data will be collected and used to generate updated risk predictions. Patients will be followed throughout systemic therapy and for 28 days after the last treatment. This is an observational study. Treatment and supportive care will be determined by treating physicians according to routine clinical practice. Model predictions will be used only for research evaluation and will not be used to guide or modify patient treatment. The study will evaluate the predictive performance and clinical applicability of the model across multiple centers.
Find Cervical Cancer trials matched specifically to you
Answer 3 quick questions and we'll show you trials that fit your situation.