Advances in Cervical Cancer Treatment and HPV Management: From Conventional Therapies to Emerging Strategies

A special issue of Medicina (ISSN 1648-9144). This special issue belongs to the section "Obstetrics and Gynecology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 December 2025 | Viewed by 1533

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Unit of Gynecologic Oncology, National Cancer Institute-IRCCS-Fondazione “G. Pascale”, Naples, Italy
Interests: cervical cancer; gynecologic oncology; women’s cancer

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor Assistant
Unit of Gynecologic Oncology, National Cancer Institute-IRCCS-Fondazione “G. Pascale”, Naples, Italy
Interests: cervical cancer; gynaecology oncology; surgery; fertility sparing

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Cervical cancer remains a significant global health challenge, particularly in low-resource settings, despite advances in prevention and early detection. While HPV vaccination and screening programs have led to a decline in incidence in many parts of the world, conventional treatments such as surgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy remain the standard of care, particularly for advanced or recurrent disease. These approaches, however, can be associated with considerable side effects and variable outcomes. 

In recent years, efforts have intensified to improve current therapies and explore more targeted strategies. Immunotherapy and other emerging treatments demonstrate encouraging results, offering new options for patients with limited responses to traditional approaches or recurrent or metastatic disease. At the same time, advances in molecular profiling and non-invasive diagnostic tools are providing new possibilities for earlier detection and prognosis.

This Special Issue aims to highlight the latest developments in cervical cancer treatment and HPV management. We warmly invite authors to contribute systematic reviews, meta-analyses, and original research articles to this issue, driving progress in the management and treatment of cervical cancer.

Dr. Mariano Catello Di Donna
Guest Editor

Dr. Maria Cristina Solazzo
Guest Editor Assistant

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Keywords

  • cervical cancer
  • HPV
  • immunotherapy
  • targeted therapies
  • personalized medicine
  • radical hysterectomy
  • fertility-sparing surgery
  • multimodal treatment

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Review

23 pages, 1080 KB  
Review
Human Papillomavirus Across the Reproductive Lifespan: An Integrative Review of Fertility, Pregnancy Outcomes, and Fertility-Sparing Management
by Matteo Terrinoni, Tullio Golia D’Augè, Giuseppe Mascellino, Federica Adinolfi, Michele Palisciano, Dario Rossetti, Gian Carlo Di Renzo and Andrea Giannini
Medicina 2025, 61(8), 1499; https://doi.org/10.3390/medicina61081499 - 21 Aug 2025
Viewed by 1234
Abstract
Background and Objectives: Human papillomavirus (HPV) is the most prevalent sexually transmitted infection worldwide and, beyond its oncogenic potential, may impair reproductive health in both sexes. This review examines HPV’s effects on male and female fertility, obstetric outcomes, vertical transmission, and fertility-sparing [...] Read more.
Background and Objectives: Human papillomavirus (HPV) is the most prevalent sexually transmitted infection worldwide and, beyond its oncogenic potential, may impair reproductive health in both sexes. This review examines HPV’s effects on male and female fertility, obstetric outcomes, vertical transmission, and fertility-sparing management in oncology. Materials and Methods: A systematic search of PubMed, Embase, and Scopus was conducted using terms related to HPV and reproduction. Additional search terms included those related to therapeutic vaccines, antivirals, and genotype prevalence. English-language human studies reporting clinical reproductive outcomes were included. Thirty-seven studies met the inclusion criteria. Two reviewers independently screened and assessed study quality using a simplified GRADE framework. Results: In men, seminal HPV infection correlates with reduced progressive motility (SMD ≈ −0.85), abnormal morphology, and increased DNA fragmentation. In women, high-risk HPV doubles the odds of infertility (OR ≈ 2.3) and is associated with endometrial involvement. High first-trimester viral load predicts vertical transmission (aOR 6.4), which is also increased by vaginal delivery (RR 1.8) and is linked to PROM (OR 1.8) and preterm birth (OR 1.8). Modeling suggests that nine-valent vaccination plus 5-year HPV-based screening could reduce CIN2+ by up to 80% and excisional treatments by >75%. Fertility-sparing surgery in early cervical cancer yields a <4% recurrence and up to 68% live birth rates. Conclusions: This review uniquely synthesizes reproductive and oncologic impacts of HPV and emphasizes risk stratification, multidisciplinary prevention, and fertility preservation. Integration of HPV DNA quantification, personalized care, and vaccine-based strategies offers a path toward optimized outcomes in both sexes. Full article
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