Dr. Adusumilli on the Development of CAR T Cells in Solid Tumors

Prasad S. Adusumilli, MD, FACS, deputy chief, Thoracic Surgery, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, discusses the current role of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy as treatment of patients with solid tumors and how this is evolving compared to CAR T cells in hematologic malignancies.

Investigators are currently translating data from preclinical trials to determine the potential role of CAR T cells in solid tumors. Unlike in the hematologic space, there are several hurdles to overcome in solid tumors that are specific to the solid tumor microenvironment, Adusumilli says.

At this time, investigators are focusing on how to overcome each of the hurdles to determine the role of CAR T-cell therapy in the treatment landscape of solid tumors.

For example, one hurdle to overcome is that T cells are unable to enter the tumor with solid tumors, especially when the T cells are administered intravenously, Adusumilli explains.

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