title: Gene-engineered T cells for cancer therapy.
abstract: T cells have the capacity to eradicate diseased cells, but tumours present considerable challenges that render T cells ineffectual. Cancer cells often make themselves almost 'invisible' to the immune system, and they sculpt a microenvironment that suppresses T cell activity, survival and migration. Genetic engineering of T cells can be used therapeutically to overcome these challenges. T cells can be taken from the blood of cancer patients and then modified with genes encoding receptors that recognize cancer-specific antigens. Additional genes can be used to enable resistance to immunosuppression, to extend survival and to facilitate the penetration of engineered T cells into tumours. Using genetic modification, highly active, self-propagating 'slayers' of cancer cells can be generated.
authors.affiliation: Cancer Immunology Research Program, Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia. michael.kershaw@ petermac.org
authors.forename: Michael H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Kershaw
authors.forename: Jennifer A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Westwood
authors.forename: Phillip K
authors.initials: PK
authors.lastname: Darcy
mesh_terms: D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm / Q000276:immunology; D005818:Genetic Engineering; D006801:Humans; D016219:Immunotherapy, Adoptive; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000502:physiology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm