CAR T-cell therapy for relapsed/refractory non-Hodgkin's lymphoma: a comprehensive review

Non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) is the seventh most common type of malignancy worldwide, with approximately 544,000 cases diagnosed in 2020.[1-3] The vast majority of NHLs are derived from B cells. The more than 80 subtypes of B-cell NHL are categorized according to their typical clinical course: indolent or aggressive.[4] Aggressive B-cell NHLs that are refractory to first-line therapy or that relapse following initial treatment are historically associated with a poor prognosis, despite the use of salvage chemotherapy and autologous stem cell transplant.[5] The advent of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy has changed the treatment paradigm for patients who have relapsed/refractory aggressive B-cell NHL, with impressive response rates and the possibility for a durable remission in those whose disease has progressed despite multiple prior treatments.[6-8] This review outlines current indications for CAR T-cell therapy, major toxicities, novel CARs under investigation, and future directions.