An overview of CAR-T cell therapy in cancer: Advancements and Challenges
An overview of CAR-T cell therapy in cancer: Advancements and Challenges
Behnam Molavi,1,*
1. Islamic Azad University, Tehran Medical Branch
Introduction: According to statistics and results, cancer is known as the second cause of death worldwide, therefore the importance of treatment for this disease is very high. Until now, various methods have been used to treat cancer, including chemotherapy, hormone therapy, immunotherapy, etc., among which immunotherapy has had very promising and successful results. In the immunotherapy method, the treatment by Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cell has been very successful, especially in leukemia, lymphoma and solid tumors, both in children and adults. In the continuation of this review article, I intend to talk about the results of this new treatment method, which can be said to be revolutionary in cancer treatment and has led to a lot of hope for patients, as well as the challenges and limitations it has had so far.
Methods: I conducted search in 3 databases; PubMed, Scopus and Web of Science with the related terminol¬ogy of immunotherapy, cancer and CAR-T cell therapy. In this review, I in¬vestigated relevant articles from 2010 up-to-now to refer to the cell therapies for cancer.
Results: Overall, CAR-T cell therapy represents a significant breakthrough in cancer treatment, especially notable in hematologic malignancies, offering unprecedented effectiveness and optimism. Evidence from both clinical trials and real-world applications reveals impressive response rates and sustained remissions, with select patients achieving long-term survival and even complete recovery. CAR-T cell therapy has emerged as a cornerstone of precision medicine, providing tailored and precise treatment options for individuals confronting refractory or relapsed cancers. Nevertheless, despite its considerable progress, CAR-T cell therapy encounters obstacles and constraints, including cytokine release syndrome, neurotoxicity, antigen evasion, and solid tumor resistance. Overcoming these challenges is imperative to optimize therapy effectiveness and safety, as well as to expand its utility across diverse cancer types.
Conclusion: CAR-T cell therapy has emerged as a transformative approach in cancer treatment, offering the promise of durable remissions and potential cures for patients with refractory or relapsed hematologic malignancies. While significant progress has been made, challenges remain in extending the benefits of CAR-T cell therapy to patients with solid tumors and overcoming treatment-related toxicities. Continued research efforts aimed at optimizing CAR design, enhancing safety profiles, and expanding the applicability of CAR-T cell therapy to a broader range of cancers hold promise for the future of cancer immunotherapy.