Immunotherapy for HPV Malignancies

Owing to the presence of known tumor-specific viral antigens, human papillomavirus (HPV)-associated cancers are well suited for treatment with immunotherapy designed to unleash, amplify or replace the T cell arm of the adaptive immune system. Immune checkpoint blockade designed to unleash existing T cell immunity is currently Food and Drug Administration approved for certain HPV-associated cancers. More specific immunotherapies such as therapeutic vaccines and T cell receptor-engineered cellular therapy are currently in clinical development. Such therapies may offer more specific immune activation against viral tumor antigens and decrease the risk of immune-related adverse events. Current and planned clinical study of these treatments will determine their utility in the treatment of patients with newly diagnosed advanced stage or relapsed HPV-associated cancer.