Efficacy of PD-1 blockade in cervical cancer is related to a CD8+FoxP3+CD25+ T-cell subset with operational effector functions despite high immune checkpoint levels

Background Cervical cancer (CxCa) is mainly a locally invading disease that metastasizes to loco-regional lymph node basins before involving distant organs in more advanced stages. Local immune potentiation of tumor-draining lymph nodes (TDLN) may thus protect against tumor progression.