The power and the promise of CAR-mediated cell immunotherapy for clinical application in pancreatic cancer

Abstract

Background: Pancreatic cancer, referred to as the “monarch of malignancies,” is a neoplastic growth mostly arising from the epithelial cells of the pancreatic duct and acinar cells. This particular neoplasm has a highly unfavorable prognosis due to its marked malignancy, inconspicuous initial manifestation, challenging early detection, rapid advancement, and limited survival duration. Cellular immunotherapy is the ex vivo culture and expansion of immune effector cells, granting them the capacity to selectively target malignant cells using specialized techniques. Subsequently, these modified cells are reintroduced into the patient's organism with the purpose of eradicating tumor cells and providing therapeutic intervention for cancer. Present situation: Presently, the primary cellular therapeutic modalities employed in the treatment of pancreatic cancer encompass CAR T-cell therapy, TCR T-cell therapy, NK-cell therapy, and CAR NK-cell therapy. Aim of review: This review provides a concise overview of the mechanisms and primary targets associated with various cell therapies. Additionally, we will explore the prospective outlook of cell therapy in the context of treating pancreatic cancer.

Keywords

• Cell immunotherapy
• Pancreatic cancer
• Chimeric antigen receptor
• T cell
• Natural killer cell