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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.

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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

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