Crystal Mackall, MD, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, comments on the success of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy in liquid and in solid tumors. In the past ten years, the development of CAR T-cell therapy has significantly improved patient outcomes, in particular for patients with B-cell malignancies including both leukemia and lymphoma. Whilst leukemia is considered as a liquid tumor, lymphoma can be characterized as both a liquid and a solid tumor. Prof. Mackall explains that CAR T-cell therapies for other solid tumors have not had the same success. Several ongoing studies are exploring strategies to improve the efficiency of CAR T-cells in solid tumors. This interview took place during the 36th Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer (SITC) Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C.
