Scientists Conduct Phase Three Clinical Trials for Cervical Cancer Treatment Drugs, Potentially Increasing Survival Rates by 30%.
The drug, known as TIVDAK (tisotumab vedotin), is administered via intravenous injection. The response rate among patients using this medication is 17.8%, significantly higher than the chemotherapy response rate of 5.2%.
The phase three clinical trials also measured the disease control rate, which indicates how well patients respond to the drug in terms of stabilizing their condition. Results showed a disease control rate of 75.9% for TIVDAK, compared to 58.2% for chemotherapy.
Dr. Brian Slomovitz, the director of the gynecologic oncology department at Mount Sinai Medical Center in Miami Beach, emphasized the importance of this research. He noted that achieving an overall survival advantage in cervical cancer is extremely rare.
The drug has changed the standard of secondary care for this disease. Now, all patients who experience recurrence after first-line therapy can be prescribed TIVDAK.
“Thus, the drug is a game changer in treatment,” he stated.
Dr. Slomovitz explained that the new medication targets a specific protein on cells, delivering chemotherapy more precisely to the affected cells. As a result, it does not cause as many side effects as traditional chemotherapy.
Marc Siegel, a clinical professor of medicine at NYU Langone Medical Center, believes that TIVDAK shows promise as an effective treatment. He pointed out that cervical cancer is a very dangerous disease that is difficult to diagnose early and has a poor prognosis once metastasized.
A healthcare worker providing counseling about cervical cancer to a woman. (Image: Freepik)
The disease is typically treated with various medications, including chemotherapy and radiation therapy, which can shrink tumors but do not cure them. TIVDAK, using a monoclonal antibody against tumor-associated factors, may serve as a supplemental therapy, offering high efficacy and response rates.
Side effects of the drug include conjunctivitis and peripheral neuropathy (weakness, numbness, and pain due to nerve damage). Some patients have experienced bleeding. However, Dr. Kathleen Moore, the deputy director of clinical research at the Stephenson Cancer Center, stated that these reactions remain manageable.
Moore has used TIVDAK for her patients since the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved compassionate use trials in 2021. She reported that they have not encountered issues in managing and mitigating side effects. Patients typically use prescribed eye drops before treatment and apply cold compresses to reduce potential drug toxicity.
Dr. Slomovitz also reported that only 5% of patients had to discontinue treatment due to side effects. According to him, chemotherapy has more severe side effects, such as anemia, nausea, hair loss, and decreased white blood cell count.
“We hope that treatments like TIVDAK will provide more support for patients. As a clinician, I find that the side effects are manageable. With that overall efficacy, patients are also willing to accept it,” he remarked.
