Clear Benefit From Early Checkpoint Inhibition in Locally Advanced, High-Risk Cervical Cancer

A clinically meaningful benefit in overall survival was found in the second interim analysis of the randomized, double-blind, Phase III KEYNOTE-A18 study of immunotherapy together with concurrent chemoradiotherapy among 1,060 patients who had newly diagnosed, previously untreated high-risk locally advanced cervical cancer.  A multinational team of researchers, led from Italy, reported findings at the ESMO Congress 2024. There was a statistically significant increase in 36-month overall survival in patients treated with pembrolizumab, in addition to chemoradiotherapy, in comparison to those in the control group who received standard chemoradiation alone.