Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy has had great success in treating patients with relapsed or refractory B-cell malignancies, with CD19-targeting therapies now approved in many countries. However, a subset of patients fail to respond or relapse after CD19 CAR T-cell therapy, in part due to antigen loss, which has prompted the search for alternative antigen targets. (Research Square)

Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy represents a major advancement in personalized cancer treatment. In this strategy, a patient's own T cells are genetically engineered to express a synthetic receptor that binds a tumor antigen. CAR T cells are then expanded for clinical use and infused back into the patient's body to attack and destroy chemotherapy-resistant cancer. (PubMed)

In the past 5 years, knowledge of immunology in thoracic cancers has greatly improved. The results observed with immunotherapy are encouraging. For example, in patients with stage 4 non–small cell lung cancer, 5-year survival was previously 2%. That survival rate has now increased to approximately 20% with the use of checkpoint blockade immunotherapy. Similarly, early data from our trial combining chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy and checkpoint blockade in mesothelioma were promising. (Hematology & Oncology)