CAR–T cells and solid tumors: tuning T cells to challenge an inveterate foe

DE Gilham, R Debets, M Pule, RE Hawkins… - Trends in molecular …, 2012 - cell.com
DE Gilham, R Debets, M Pule, RE Hawkins, H Abken
Trends in molecular medicine, 2012cell.com
Recent reports on the impressive efficacy of adoptively transferred T cells to challenge
cancer in early phase clinical trials have significantly raised the profile of T cell therapy.
Concomitantly, general expectations are also raised by these reports, with the natural
aspiration to deliver this therapy over a wide range of tumor indications. Chimeric antigen
receptors (CARs) endow T cell populations with defined antigen specificities that function
independently of the natural T cell receptor and permit targeting of T cells towards virtually …
Recent reports on the impressive efficacy of adoptively transferred T cells to challenge cancer in early phase clinical trials have significantly raised the profile of T cell therapy. Concomitantly, general expectations are also raised by these reports, with the natural aspiration to deliver this therapy over a wide range of tumor indications. Chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) endow T cell populations with defined antigen specificities that function independently of the natural T cell receptor and permit targeting of T cells towards virtually any tumor. Here, we review the current clinical application of CAR–T cells and relate clinical efficacy and safety of CAR–T cell trials to parameters considered critical for CAR engineering, classified as the three T's of CAR–T cell manipulation.
cell.com