Scientists push CAR T cell therapy beyond blood cancers, unlocking potential for targeting solid tumors with enhanced delivery, resilience, and precision in the face of tough obstacles. Study: Beyond the blood: expanding CAR T cell therapy to solid tumors . Image Credit: Nemes Laszlo / Shutterstock In a recent study published in the journal Nature Biotechnology , a group of authors explored recent advances in Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapy for solid tumors, analyzing key challenges and strategies to enhance therapeutic outcomes.
Background CAR T cell therapy has revolutionized cancer treatment, achieving significant success in hematological cancers through targeted immunotherapy . However, translating this success to solid tumors has proven challenging due to unique obstacles such as the hostile tumor microenvironment, which induces CAR T cell dysfunction, and tumor heterogeneity, which complicates effective targeting. Additionally, the physical barriers within solid tumors impede CAR T cell infiltration, reducing therapeutic efficacy .
While recent clinical trials show promise in treating specific solid tumors, further research is needed to develop innovative approaches to overcome these challenges and enhance the potential of CAR T cell therapy . Challenges in treating solid tumors Tumor microenvironment (TME) barriers Solid tumors create a hostile microenvironment with immunosuppressive factors, such as regulatory T cells and tumor-associated macrophages, l.
