Colorectal cancer (CRC) treatment using common chemotherapy approaches has drawbacks such as side effects, costs, and resistance of cancer cells which affects patients’ prolonged survival, and quality of life. The immune cells have pivotal roles in regulating tumor progression in the tumor microenvironment (TME).
The most important CRC cellular immunotherapies include the use of tumor-derived cells such as tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) and lymph node lymphocytes (LNLs), peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), derived cells, including T cells, natural killer (NK) cells, cytokine-induced killer (CIK) cells, and chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) cells.
Although adoptive cell therapy has some advantages, some disadvantages have been reported. TILs cells are strictly directed against tumor-specific antigens; however, they are inefficient due to immune editing. CIK cells have a major histocompatibility complex (MHC)-independent cytotoxic effect and need concurrent high-dose interleukin (IL)-2 administration. In addition, chimeric antigen receptor-T cells (CAR-T cells) are MHC-independent that overcome MHC downregulation by the tumor. They are potent in recognizing any cell surface antigen and are applicable to a broad range of patients and T-cell populations. Here, the researchers present the most popular cancer cellular immunotherapy approaches and discuss their clinical relevance by referring to data obtained from CRC clinical trials.
To date, clinical experience and efficacy suggest that combining more than one immunotherapy intervention, in combination with other treatments like chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and targeted therapy, is promising for cancer therapy.