Drug increases survival rate of uterine cancer by 30%

The drug, called TIVDAK (tisotumab vedotin), is administered intravenously. The response rate for patients to the drug is 17.8%, much higher than the 5.2% response rate for chemotherapy.

The phase three clinical trial also measured disease control rates. This is the degree to which patients respond to the drug, keeping their disease stable. The results showed a disease control rate of 75.9%, compared to 58.2% for chemotherapy.

Dr. Brian Slomovitz, director of gynecologic oncology at Mount Sinai Medical Center in Miami Beach, emphasized the importance of the study, noting that it is extremely rare to see a guaranteed overall survival advantage in cervical cancer.

The drug has changed the standard of second-line care for the disease. All patients who relapse after first-line therapy can now be prescribed TIVDAK.

"So, drugs are a game changer in treatment," he said.

Dr. Slomovitz explained that the new drug attacks a specific protein on cells, delivering chemotherapy to cells more precisely. Therefore, it does not cause as many side effects as traditional chemotherapy.

Marc Siegel, clinical professor of medicine at NYU Langone Medical Center, believes that TIVDAK holds promise as an effective treatment. He said cervical cancer is a very dangerous disease, difficult to diagnose early, and has a poor prognosis when it metastasizes.

The disease is usually treated with a combination of drugs, including chemotherapy and radiation, which can shrink but not cure the tumor. TIVDAK, which uses a monoclonal antibody against tumor-associated tissue factor, may be a useful adjunctive therapy with high efficacy and response rates.

Side effects include conjunctivitis and peripheral neuropathy (weakness, numbness, and pain due to nerve damage). Some patients experience bleeding. However, Dr. Kathleen Moore, associate director of clinical research at the Stephenson Cancer Center, said these reactions are manageable.

Moore has been using TIVDAK on her patients since the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the humane trial in 2021. She reports no problems with administration and minimal side effects. Patients typically use prescription eye drops before treatment and apply cold compresses to minimize potential toxicity from the drug.

Dr. Slomovitz also reported that only 5 percent of patients had to stop treatment due to side effects. Chemotherapy, he said, has more serious side effects, such as anemia, nausea, hair loss, and leukopenia.

“We hope that treatments like TIVDAK will help patients more. As a clinician, I feel that the side effects are manageable. With that overall efficacy, patients are also willing to accept it,” he said.