Dr. Markman on Unmet Needs in Endometrial and Cervical Cancers

Maurie Markman, MD, president of Medicine and Science, Cancer Treatment Centers of America, editor-in-chief, OncologyLive, and 2018 Giant of Cancer Care^® for Gynecological Cancers, discusses unmet needs in endometrial and cervical cancers.

Cervical cancer should essentially be eradicated by the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine, according to Markman, but although the vaccine is a major advancement, its use is not as universal as it should be. When it comes to cervical cancer, prevention via HPV vaccination and screening are important—but beyond that, there are not many effective therapies available for those with advanced disease.

Although there was a recent FDA approval for the immunotherapy agent cemiplimab (Libtayo) in the advanced setting, but physicians still use platinum-based chemotherapy and radiation in the early-stage setting.

For endometrial cancer, early detection in terms of identifying symptoms is crucial, Markman says. Currently, there is an epidemic of endometrial cancer associated with the high incidence of obesity in the United States, says Markman. Because obesity is a major risk factor for this disease, prevention and treatment of endometrial cancer should focus on weight management.