Dr. Sasine on CAR T-Cell Therapy in Ovarian Cancer

Joshua P. Sasine, MD, medical director, Chimeric Antigen Receptor T-Cell Program, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, discusses chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy in ovarian cancer.

CAR T cells have been very effective in treating hematopoietic malignancies, as well as leukemias and lymphomas. Researchers are hopeful that they will be able to apply the technology to solid tumors, says Sasine.

Though the data is limited in patients with ovarian cancer, there is preclinical data to suggest its efficacy in this tumor type. There is also hypothetical data that could be used to support its use in ovarian cancer. Sasine states that there does not necessarily have to be preclinical data in the tissue type of the same cancer being studied to justify its use in that tumor type—the tumor just has to have the appropriate target. There are several targets on ovarian tumors that would be amenable to this therapy. Such targets include NY-ESO-1 and MUC-type genes. The MUC gene, also known as CA 125, is expressed in most ovarian cancers.