مقالات پذیرفته شده در هشتمین کنگره بین المللی زیست پزشکی
CAR T Cells in NSCLC: A New Frontier with Challenges
CAR T Cells in NSCLC: A New Frontier with Challenges
Amirsoheil Karami,1Faramarz Khosravi,2,*
1. Bachelor’s student, Microbiology group, Faculty of Advanced Science and Technology, Tehran Medical Sciences, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran. 2. Tehran Medical Science,Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran.
Introduction: The emergence of Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR) T cell therapy has revolutionized cancer treatment, particularly for blood cancers. This powerful immunotherapy involves engineering a patient's T cells to express artificial receptors (CARs) that precisely target specific antigens found on cancer cells. This targeted approach empowers the T cells to effectively identify and eliminate malignant cells. While highly successful in hematologic malignancies, applying CAR T cell therapy to solid tumors like non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) presents unique obstacles. This article delves into these challenges, explores promising targets for CAR T cell therapy in NSCLC, and highlights current research directions.
Methods: This review analyzes existing literature on CAR T cell therapy, focusing specifically on its application in NSCLC. We examined clinical trials, preclinical studies, and recent publications to provide a comprehensive overview of the challenges, advancements, and future directions in this field. All information presented is drawn from reputable scientific databases and peer-reviewed journals.
Results: Challenges: Solid tumors like NSCLC pose a difficult environment for CAR T cell therapy. The immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME) hinders CAR T cell infiltration and survival. Additionally, the presence of antigen heterogeneity within the tumor and the ability of tumor cells to evade immune surveillance further complicate treatment.
Promising Targets: Despite these challenges, several antigens hold promise as targets for CAR T cell therapy in NSCLC. EGFR, MUC1, and MSLN are particularly promising due to their overexpression on these cancer cells, making them attractive targets for CAR T cell recognition.
Advances and Strategies: Researchers are actively pursuing strategies to enhance the effectiveness of CAR T cells against NSCLC. These include designing multi-targeting CARs to address tumor heterogeneity, investigating combination therapies with checkpoint inhibitors or chemotherapy to amplify treatment response, and exploring direct tumor infusion to circumvent the immunosuppressive TME.
Conclusion: Clinical Trials and Future Directions: Numerous clinical trials are currently underway to evaluate various CAR T cell designs and combination therapies to improve outcomes for NSCLC patients. These studies focus on optimizing dosage, minimizing side effects, and enhancing the persistence and activity of CAR T cells within the tumor.
While significant challenges remain in using CAR T cell therapy to treat NSCLC, ongoing research and innovative strategies offer hope for more effective treatment options. As our understanding of tumor biology and immunotherapy continues to grow, CAR T cells hold the potential to become a powerful tool in the fight against NSCLC, offering renewed hope to patients battling this complex disease.