Abstract IA07: Engineering T cells for the immunotherapy for pediatric solid tumors

Abstract

Abstract Engineering T cells for the immunotherapy for pediatric solid tumorsImmunotherapy with genetically modified T cells holds the promise to improve outcome for pediatric cancer patients who currently cannot be cured. In addition, T-cell therapy has the potential to reduce treatment-related complication for all patients. Cell therapy with T cells, genetically modified to express chimeric antigen receptors (CARs), had dramatic success for pediatric patients with recurrent/refractory CD19-positive acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), resulting in the recent FDA approval of CD19-CAR T cells for recurrent/refractory ALL. In contrast, CAR T-cell therapies thus far have been less successful for pediatric solid tumors. In my talk, I will review current challenges of CAR T-cell therapies for solid tumors, highlighting our clinical studies targeting HER2 (Ahmed et al., JCO 2015 and JAMA Oncol 2017). In addition, I will review genetic engineering approaches that are being developed to improve the efficacy of CAR T cells for pediatric solid tumors. Citation Format: Stephen Gottschalk, Chris DeRenzo, Meena Hegde, Melinda Mata, Phoung Nguyen, Giedre Krenciute, Nabil Ahmed. Engineering T cells for the immunotherapy for pediatric solid tumors [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference: Pediatric Cancer Research: From Basic Science to the Clinic; 2017 Dec 3-6; Atlanta, Georgia. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2018;78(19 Suppl):Abstract nr IA07.