CAR-T immunotherapy - recent advances and current challenges in cancer treatment: a review.

Abstract

Adoptive cell therapy represents a modern immunotherapeutic approach utilizing immune cells as dynamic agents against cancer cells, often called "living drugs". In recent times, chimeric receptor antigen T cell (CAR-T cell) therapy has shown efficacy and promise in the immunotherapy of cancers, presenting a significant advancement in blood cancer treatment. However, despite its effectiveness in treating B-cell lymphoma, challenges persist with response variability, resistance, and adverse effects. This review focuses on recent advances and current challenges, limitations, and the related preclinical and clinical findings of cancer immunotherapy as well as solutions for increasing the safety and effectiveness of CAR-T cell therapy. Ongoing research focuses on exploring molecular and cellular processes post-infusion, developing "universal CAR-T lymphocytes" sourced from healthy donors as well as exploring alternative candidates like CAR-armored NK cells and CAR-NKT cells, which show promise due to their potent anti-tumour properties and diverse cytotoxic capabilities. The interplay of genetics with the immune system undoubtedly holds the potential for developing innovative treatments that could revolutionize cancer therapy in the future.