Emerging immune checkpoint inhibitor strategies in cervical cancer: a scoping review of ongoing clinical trials

INTRODUCTION: Immunotherapy with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) has become an important component of cervical cancer treatment, leading to improved outcomes in selected patient populations. However, despite recent approvals, prognosis in recurrent or metastatic disease remains poor and the immunotherapy landscape is rapidly evolving with the development of novel agents and combination strategies. AREAS COVERED: This scoping review maps emerging ICI-based strategies in cervical cancer, focusing on novel targets, next-generation programmed cell death protein 1/programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-1/PD-L1) antibodies, bispecific antibodies and combination regimens. Ongoing phase I - II interventional clinical trials were identified through ClinicalTrials.gov and the European Union Clinical Trials Register from database inception to 1 February 2026. Fifty-nine clinical trials were included in the analysis. Evidence was synthesized descriptively and organized thematically. The final protocol was registered in the Open Science Framework (https://osf.io/swdz9/overview). EXPERT OPINION: The expanding role of ICIs across multiple disease stages suggests that most patients with cervical cancer will be exposed to ICIs during their treatment course. However, widespread clinical implementation is limited by a lack of validated predictive biomarkers, cost considerations and toxicity management. Future progress will depend on biomarker-driven trial designs, rational combination strategies and studies addressing optimal sequencing and immunotherapy rechallenge.