Genetic medicine in cancer treatment: CAR T-сell therapy (a literature review)

Abstract

Cancer remains one of the leading causes of fatal outcome worldwide. Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy is an immunotherapeutic approach to cancer treatment based on the use of cytotoxic lymphocytes engineered to express chimeric antigen receptors. CAR T-cell therapy involves collecting T-cells from a patient's blood, followed by their genetic modification in vitro to express a chimeric antigen receptor. These modified T-cells, which possess cytotoxic activity, are then reinfused into the patient, where they recognize tumor- specific antigens on cancer cells and eliminate them. However, this cytotoxic effect may also lead to adverse events, including cytokine release syndrome, neurotoxicity, and off-tumor toxicity, which may be fatal. Further research and development are required to improve the antitumor efficacy and safety profile of CAR T-cells. This mini-review aims to briefly describe the structure of the chimeric antigen receptor, the production of CAR T-cells, and the conditions required for CAR T-cell therapy, with particular emphasis on its adverse events and their management. KEYWORDS: cancer, CAR T-cell therapy, genetic engineering, cytokine release syndrome, neurotoxicity, off-tumor toxicity. FOR CITATION: Aitbayev K.A., Murkamilov I.T., Fomin V.V., Yusupov F.A., Yusupov A.F., Yusupova T.F. Genetic medicine in cancer treatment: CAR T-сell therapy (a literature review). Russian Medical Inquiry. 2026;10(7):495–499 (in Russ.). DOI: 10.32364/2587-6821-2026-10-7-6