Clinical efficacy and safety evaluation of immune checkpoint inhibitors combined with chemoradiotherapy in the treatment of advanced cervical cancer: An 80-case prospective cohort study

Objective: To investigate the clinical efficacy and safety of immune checkpoint inhibitors combined with chemoradiotherapy in the treatment of advanced cervical cancer. Methods: A total of 80 patients with advanced cervical cancer admitted to our hospital from January 2022 to December 2023 were randomly divided into a combination therapy group (pembrolizumab + chemoradiotherapy, 40 cases) and a control group (chemoradiotherapy alone, 40 cases). The objective response rate (ORR), progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), and adverse reactions were compared between the two groups. Results: The ORR of the combination therapy group was 75.0% (30/40), significantly higher than 55.0% (22/40) in the control group (P = 0.043). The median PFS was 12.5 months vs. 9.0 months (P = 0.022), and the median OS was 24.0 months vs. 18.0 months (P = 0.027). There was no significant difference in the incidence of grade 3 and above adverse reactions between the two groups (40.0% vs. 35.0%, P = 0.546), but immune-related adverse reactions in the combination therapy group (such as hypothyroidism 12.5%, rash 10.0%) were more common, mostly grade 1–2. Conclusion: Immune checkpoint inhibitors combined with chemoradiotherapy can improve the efficacy of advanced cervical cancer, prolong survival, and have controllable safety, providing a new treatment option for patients.