Dr. Salani on the Current State of Biomarker Testing in Cervical Cancer

Ritu Salani, MD, MBA, gynecologic oncologist, University of California, Los Angeles, discusses the current state of biomarker testing in cervical cancer.

In general, biomarker testing is reserved for patients with recurrent disease, explains Salani.

The standard up-front treatment of patients with recurrent cervical cancer is chemotherapy plus bevacizumab (Avastin), says Salani. However, developing a better understanding of molecular targets and actionable mutations may indicate which therapies could be moved into the frontline setting.

Salani suggests that testing for PD-L1 expression early can inform whether a patient is eligible for immunotherapy. Additionally, genomic testing can identify other targetable mutations, inform future treatment decisions, and shed light on potential clinical trial options for patients, concludes Salani.