Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Review
. 2025 Aug 8;23(1):888.
doi: 10.1186/s12967-025-06896-3.

Targeting immune microenvironment in cervical cancer: current research and advances

Zhen Zhang #  1 , Miao Liu #  2 , Yu An #  2 , Chongqing Gao  1 , Tao Wang  1 , Zhi Zhang  1 , Guixiang Zhang  1 , Shuo Li  1 , Wei Li  3 , Mengjia Li  4 , Gangcheng Wang  5
Affiliations
Review

Targeting immune microenvironment in cervical cancer: current research and advances

Zhen Zhang et al. J Transl Med. .

Abstract

The immune microenvironment plays a critical role in pathogenesis and treatment response of cervical cancer. This review comprehensively examines the cellular and molecular components of the tumor immune microenvironment (TIME) in cervical cancer, encompassing patterns of immune cell infiltration (T cells, B cells, NK cells, DCs, TAMs), immune checkpoint molecules, and cytokine/chemokine networks. We emphasize recent advances in understanding TIME heterogeneity, enabled by high-resolution spatial mapping and single-cell sequencing technologies, focusing specifically on differences across disease stages and treatment approaches. The review systematically evaluates immunotherapeutic strategies, such as immune checkpoint inhibitors, adoptive cell therapies, and therapeutic vaccines, discussing their mechanisms of action, clinical efficacy, and challenges. By synthesizing insights from both preclinical and clinical studies, our aim is to offer a translational perspective on targeting the TIME to enhance outcomes for cervical cancer patients.

Keywords: Cervical cancer; Immune checkpoint inhibitors; Immune microenvironment; Immunotherapy.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

Declarations. Ethics approval and consent to participate: Not applicable. Consent for publication: Not applicable. Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Immune microenvironment of cervical cancer
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Mechanisms of immunotherapy in cervical cancer treatment
See this image and copyright information in PMC

Similar articles

See all similar articles

References

    1. Li S, et al. Genetic variation of E6 and E7 genes of human papillomavirus 52 from central China. J Med Virol. 2021;93(6):3849–56. - PubMed
    1. Sung H, et al. Global cancer statistics 2020: GLOBOCAN estimates of incidence and mortality worldwide for 36 cancers in 185 countries. Cancer J Clin. 2021;71(3):209–49. - PubMed
    1. Singh D, et al. Global estimates of incidence and mortality of cervical cancer in 2020: a baseline analysis of the WHO global cervical cancer elimination initiative. Lancet Global Health. 2023;11(2):e197–206. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Pang SS, Murphy M, Markham MJ. Current management of locally advanced and metastatic cervical cancer in the united States. JCO Oncol Pract. 2022;18(6):417–22. - PubMed
    1. Sardain H, et al. Curative pelvic exenteration for recurrent cervical carcinoma in the era of concurrent chemotherapy and radiation therapy. A systematic review. Eur J Surg Oncol (EJSO). 2015;41(8):975–85. - PubMed