Adding the checkpoint inhibitor pembrolizumab to conventional chemotherapy in women with persistent, recurrent or metastatic cervical cancer improves both progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) relative to chemotherapy alone, according to results of a multinational phase 3 trial. The advantage was observed regardless of concomitant use of bevacizumab.
Because of the substantial OS benefit, “pembrolizumab plus chemotherapy may be the new first-line standard of care for