Evaluating the Potential for CAR T Cells as Treatment of Solid Tumors

Prasad S. Adusumilli, MD, FACS, deputy chief, Thoracic Surgery, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, discusses the potential role of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy as treatment of solid tumors now that they have demonstrated safety and efficacy in some Hematologic Malignancies.

Adusumilli believes CAR T cells can play a role in this space as well. We are learning a lot from the checkpoint blockade immunotherapy, the immune microenvironment and the tumors, as well as the immune resistance mechanism. The combination of these suggests to Adusumilli that in the next 5 years, CAR T-cell therapy could potentially play a role in the treatment of solid tumors.

Choosing the correct antigen and designing a CAR T cell specific to the solid tumors is important for this research. Delivery of focus of each solid tumor can be different, says Adusumilli. It is important to conduct correlative science to understand the changes in the tumor microenvironment so that next-generation CAR T cells can be developed.

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