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Review
. 2024 May 28:14:1390006.
doi: 10.3389/fonc.2024.1390006. eCollection 2024.

Advances in CAR-NK cell therapy for lung cancer: is it a better choice in the future?

Fengqin Liu  1 , Xia Miao  2 , Lu Han  1 , Xiao Song  3
Affiliations
Review

Advances in CAR-NK cell therapy for lung cancer: is it a better choice in the future?

Fengqin Liu et al. Front Oncol. .

Abstract

Lung cancer remains one of the leading causes of cancer-related mortality worldwide necessitating the development of innovative therapeutic strategies. Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) natural killer (NK) cell therapy represents a promising advancement in the field of oncology offering a novel approach to target and eliminate tumor cells with high specificity and reduced risk of immune-related adverse effects. This paper reviews the mechanism, potential targets, and recent advances in CAR-NK cell therapy for lung cancer, including the design and engineering of CAR-NK cells, preclinical studies, and the outcomes of early-phase clinical trials. We highlight the unique advantages of using NK cells, such as their innate ability to recognize and kill cancer cells and their reduced potential for inducing graft-versus-host disease (GvHD) and cytokine release syndrome (CRS) compared to CAR T-cell therapies. Results from recent studies demonstrate significant antitumor activity in lung cancer models with improved targeting and persistence of CAR-NK cells observed in vitro and in vivo. Finally, we discuss the challenges in optimizing CAR-NK cell therapies, including the potential resistance mechanisms. The paper concludes with an outlook on the future directions of CAR-NK cell research and its implications for lung cancer treatment emphasizing the importance of continued innovation and collaboration in the field.

Keywords: CAR-NK; immunotherapy; lung cancer; target; therapy.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
The CAR NK cell therapy process.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Potential lung cancer targets.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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