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Review
. 2023 Apr;15(5):383-396.
doi: 10.2217/imt-2022-0200. Epub 2023 Mar 6.

Applications and current challenges of chimeric antigen receptor T cells in treating high-grade gliomas in adult and pediatric populations

Nicolina Jovanovich  1 , Ahmed Habib  2   1 , Nu Farrukh Hameed  2   1 , Lincoln Edwards  2   1 , Pascal O Zinn  2   1
Affiliations
Review

Applications and current challenges of chimeric antigen receptor T cells in treating high-grade gliomas in adult and pediatric populations

Nicolina Jovanovich et al. Immunotherapy. 2023 Apr.

Abstract

High-grade gliomas (HGGs) continue to be some of the most devastating diseases in the USA. Despite extensive efforts, the survival of HGG patients has remained relatively stagnant. Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell immunotherapy has recently been studied in the context of improving these tumors' clinical outcomes. HGG murine models treated with CAR T cells targeting tumor antigens have shown reduced tumor burden and longer overall survival than models without treatment. Subsequent clinical trials investigating the efficacy of CAR T cells have further shown that this therapy could be safe and might reduce tumor burden. However, there are still many challenges that need to be addressed to optimize the safety and efficacy of CAR T-cell therapy in treating HGG patients.

Keywords: CAR T cells; adult; high-grade gliomas; immunotherapy; pediatric.

Plain language summary

This publication describes the current application of chimeric antigen T-cell (CAR T-cell) therapy in treating high-grade gliomas (HGGs). Treatment of various HGG models with CAR T cells has shown that this therapy is often able to shrink HGG tumors and prolong the survival of these models. Subsequent clinical trials have shown that CAR T-cell therapy can reduce tumor size in some HGG patients. Patients in these clinical trials have tolerated the treatment well, though more robust studies are needed to confirm this treatment's safety. Additionally, other challenges, such as getting CAR T cells into the brain and to the tumor, need to be addressed to improve the effectiveness of this therapy for HGG patients.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors have no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.. Summary of the current chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy applications in adult high-grade gliomas: glioblastoma and pediatric high-grade gliomas, medulloblastoma and diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma.
GD2: Diganglioside GD2.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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