Human papillomavirus (HPV)-related lower genital cancers, including cervical cancer, anal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), vaginal cancer, vulvar cancer, and penile cancer, pose a significant health burden, with approximately 45,000 new cases diagnosed annually. Current effective treatment modalities include chemoradiotherapy, systemic chemotherapy, and immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). The tumor microenvironment in HPV-related cancers is characterized by immune evasion mechanisms, including the modulation of immune checkpoints such as PD-L1/PD-1. HPV oncoproteins E5, E6, and E7 play crucial roles in this process, altering the expression of immune inhibitory molecules and the recruitment of immune cells. ICIs, such as programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) inhibitors, have shown efficacy in enhancing the immune response against HPV-associated tumors by blocking proteins that allow cancer cells to evade immune surveillance. Recent studies have demonstrated that HPV-positive tumors exhibit a more favorable response to ICI-based therapies compared to HPV-negative tumors. The integration of ICIs into treatment regimens for HPV-related cancers has been supported by several clinical trials. The inclusion of ICIs in the treatment approach for HPV-related lower genital cancers presents a promising opportunity for improving patient outcomes. Ongoing research and clinical trials are advancing our understanding of the immune microenvironment and the therapeutic potential of immunotherapy for these cancers.
人乳头瘤病毒（HPV）相关的下生殖道癌症，包括宫颈癌、肛门鳞状细胞癌、阴道癌、外阴癌和阴茎癌，构成了重大的健康负担，每年约有45,000例新发病例。目前有效的治疗方式包括放化疗、全身化疗和免疫检查点抑制剂（ICIs）。HPV相关癌症的肿瘤微环境以免疫逃逸机制为特征，包括对PD-L1/PD-1等免疫检查点的调控。HPV癌蛋白E5、E6和E7在此过程中发挥关键作用，改变免疫抑制分子的表达和免疫细胞的募集。免疫检查点抑制剂，如程序性细胞死亡蛋白1（PD-1）抑制剂，通过阻断使癌细胞逃避免疫监视的蛋白，已显示出增强针对HPV相关肿瘤免疫反应的疗效。近期研究表明，与HPV阴性肿瘤相比，HPV阳性肿瘤对基于ICI的治疗表现出更佳的反应。多项临床试验支持将ICI纳入HPV相关癌症的治疗方案。在HPV相关下生殖道癌症的治疗策略中加入ICI，为改善患者预后提供了有前景的机会。持续的研究和临床试验正在增进我们对这些癌症免疫微环境及免疫治疗潜力的理解。
肿瘤(癌症)患者之家