Archiv für chirurgische Onkologie

Strategies to enhance the activity of tumor antigen-specific chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells with solid tumors

Abstract

Dr. Soldano Ferrone

In recent years there has been a growing interest in the use of tumor antigenspecific CAR T cells as an effector mechanism to develop immunotherapy of malignant diseases. The impressive clinical results obtained with CAR T cells with some hematological malignancies have resulted in the FDA approval of some products. On the other hand, tumor antigen-specific CAR T cells have not been so effective with solid tumors thus far. The latter results are believed to be caused at least in part by the escape mechanism utilized by malignant cells to avoid recognition and destruction by immune effector cells. In this presentation I will describe some of the strategies that we are testing in order to counteract the escape mechanisms utilized by malignant cells