ESMO 2021 | CAR-T therapy for previously treated solid tumors in the digestive tract

Elizabeth Smyth, MD, Cambridge University Hospitals, Cambridge, UK, discusses the results of a Phase I trial for using CAR-T therapy to treat previously-treated solid tumors in the digestive tract. The CAR T-cells were engineered to target Claudin 18.2, a protein expressed on epithelial tight junctions which is exposed on tumor cells. 37 patients participated in the trial, of which most had gastric or GEJ tumors. Response rates were 49% in the whole population and 61% in patients with gastric or GEJ tumors. Progression-free survival was around 6 months, median overall survival was around 9 months, and toxicity was low. This interview took place at the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) 2021 congress.