CARs on the road: Who gets a seat?

Abstract

Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy is a form of immunotherapy that has shown potential for inducing complete remission in relapsed/refractory hematopoietic cancers. Depending on the patient’s therapeutic needs, CAR T-cells may be constructed using different cytoplasmic and extracellular domains to alter their affinity, persistence, and proliferation. While the therapy holds promise, the conventional use of CAR T-cell therapy is limited by the occurrence of side effects, substantial rates of relapse, and manufacturing logistics. The objective of this review is to discuss the potential of CAR T-cell therapies, as well as patient characteristics which may influence its efficacy.