Ferroptosis-immune crosstalk in cervical cancer: mechanisms and therapeutic implications

Cervical cancer remains a leading cause of cancer-related mortality in women worldwide, particularly in regions with limited access to screening and vaccination. While immunotherapy has shown promise in treating advanced cervical cancer, immune evasion mechanisms within the tumor microenvironment co...

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Main Authors: Lili Li, Yunfeng Bo, Dan Xue, Lijuan Qin
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2025-08-01
Series:Frontiers in Immunology
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Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fimmu.2025.1657905/full
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author Lili Li
Yunfeng Bo
Dan Xue
Lijuan Qin
author_facet Lili Li
Yunfeng Bo
Dan Xue
Lijuan Qin
author_sort Lili Li
collection DOAJ
description Cervical cancer remains a leading cause of cancer-related mortality in women worldwide, particularly in regions with limited access to screening and vaccination. While immunotherapy has shown promise in treating advanced cervical cancer, immune evasion mechanisms within the tumor microenvironment continue to limit therapeutic efficacy. Ferroptosis, a form of iron-dependent regulated cell death characterized by lipid peroxidation, has recently been recognized as a crucial regulator of tumor progression and immune modulation. Emerging evidence suggests that ferroptosis interacts with immune signaling pathways, contributing to immune suppression, antigen presentation defects, and the remodeling of the tumor immune microenvironment in cervical cancer. This review highlights the current understanding of ferroptosis-related mechanisms underlying immune evasion in cervical cancer, including alterations in ferroptosis regulators, redox imbalance, and ferroptosis-induced release of immunomodulatory molecules. We further explore how targeting ferroptosis may enhance anti-tumor immunity and overcome resistance to immunotherapy. Finally, we discuss recent advances in ferroptosis-based therapeutic strategies and identify future directions for integrating ferroptosis modulation into cervical cancer treatment.
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publisher Frontiers Media S.A.
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spelling doaj-art-8c4e85ec3b7c4714ae460a4a579e1aa52025-08-20T03:45:28ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Immunology1664-32242025-08-011610.3389/fimmu.2025.16579051657905Ferroptosis-immune crosstalk in cervical cancer: mechanisms and therapeutic implicationsLili Li0Yunfeng Bo1Dan Xue2Lijuan Qin3Department of Radiotherapy, Shanxi Province Cancer Hospital/Shanxi Hospital Affiliated to Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences/Cancer Hospital Affiliated to Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, ShanXi, ChinaDepartment of Pathology, Shanxi Province Cancer Hospital/Shanxi Hospital Affiliated to Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences/Cancer Hospital Affiliated to Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, Shanxi, ChinaShanxi Cancer Hospital/Shanxi Hospital Affiliated to Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences/Cancer Hospital Affiliated to Shanxi Medical University, No.3 Zhigong Xincun Street, Xinghualing District, Taiyuan, Shanxi, ChinaDepartment of Radiotherapy, Shanxi Province Cancer Hospital/Shanxi Hospital Affiliated to Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences/Cancer Hospital Affiliated to Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, ShanXi, ChinaCervical cancer remains a leading cause of cancer-related mortality in women worldwide, particularly in regions with limited access to screening and vaccination. While immunotherapy has shown promise in treating advanced cervical cancer, immune evasion mechanisms within the tumor microenvironment continue to limit therapeutic efficacy. Ferroptosis, a form of iron-dependent regulated cell death characterized by lipid peroxidation, has recently been recognized as a crucial regulator of tumor progression and immune modulation. Emerging evidence suggests that ferroptosis interacts with immune signaling pathways, contributing to immune suppression, antigen presentation defects, and the remodeling of the tumor immune microenvironment in cervical cancer. This review highlights the current understanding of ferroptosis-related mechanisms underlying immune evasion in cervical cancer, including alterations in ferroptosis regulators, redox imbalance, and ferroptosis-induced release of immunomodulatory molecules. We further explore how targeting ferroptosis may enhance anti-tumor immunity and overcome resistance to immunotherapy. Finally, we discuss recent advances in ferroptosis-based therapeutic strategies and identify future directions for integrating ferroptosis modulation into cervical cancer treatment.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fimmu.2025.1657905/fullcervical cancerferroptosisimmune evasiontumor microenvironmentimmunotherapy
spellingShingle Lili Li
Yunfeng Bo
Dan Xue
Lijuan Qin
Ferroptosis-immune crosstalk in cervical cancer: mechanisms and therapeutic implications
Frontiers in Immunology
cervical cancer
ferroptosis
immune evasion
tumor microenvironment
immunotherapy
title Ferroptosis-immune crosstalk in cervical cancer: mechanisms and therapeutic implications
title_full Ferroptosis-immune crosstalk in cervical cancer: mechanisms and therapeutic implications
title_fullStr Ferroptosis-immune crosstalk in cervical cancer: mechanisms and therapeutic implications
title_full_unstemmed Ferroptosis-immune crosstalk in cervical cancer: mechanisms and therapeutic implications
title_short Ferroptosis-immune crosstalk in cervical cancer: mechanisms and therapeutic implications
title_sort ferroptosis immune crosstalk in cervical cancer mechanisms and therapeutic implications
topic cervical cancer
ferroptosis
immune evasion
tumor microenvironment
immunotherapy
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fimmu.2025.1657905/full
work_keys_str_mv AT lilili ferroptosisimmunecrosstalkincervicalcancermechanismsandtherapeuticimplications
AT yunfengbo ferroptosisimmunecrosstalkincervicalcancermechanismsandtherapeuticimplications
AT danxue ferroptosisimmunecrosstalkincervicalcancermechanismsandtherapeuticimplications
AT lijuanqin ferroptosisimmunecrosstalkincervicalcancermechanismsandtherapeuticimplications