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Manufacturing Chimeric Antigen Receptor CAR T Cells for Adoptive Immunotherapy
Published on: December 17, 2019
A Theranostic Approach for CAR-T Cell Therapy
Wolfgang A Weber1, Zohreh Varasteh1,2, Katja Fritschle1
1Department of Nuclear Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany.
Abstract:
Fibroblast activation protein (FAP) is frequently expressed in the tumor stroma, whereas expression by normal organs is highly restricted. Despite these promising features, FAP-targeted therapies have shown limited success so far. FAP imaging offers new opportunities to select patients for FAP-targeted therapies and monitor tumor response. See related article by Lee et al., p. 5330.
Insights
Fibroblast activation protein (FAP) is a promising target in cancer therapy due to its tumor-specific expression. However, FAP-targeted treatments have yielded limited success, highlighting the need for better patient selection and response monitoring through FAP imaging.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Molecular Imaging
- Cancer Biology
Background:
- Fibroblast activation protein (FAP) is highly expressed in tumor stroma but restricted in normal tissues.
- FAP's tumor-specific expression makes it an attractive target for cancer therapies.
- Despite its potential, FAP-targeted therapies have faced challenges in clinical success.
Discussion:
- FAP imaging presents a novel strategy to overcome limitations in FAP-targeted therapies.
- Imaging can identify patients who are most likely to benefit from FAP-targeted treatments.
- Monitoring tumor response to FAP-targeted therapies can be achieved through imaging.
Key Insights:
- FAP expression is a key biomarker in the tumor microenvironment.
- Limitations in FAP-targeted therapies necessitate improved patient stratification.
- FAP imaging offers a solution for patient selection and treatment monitoring.
Outlook:
- Advancements in FAP imaging could enhance the efficacy of FAP-targeted cancer treatments.
- FAP imaging may guide personalized medicine approaches in oncology.
- Further research into FAP imaging applications is crucial for clinical translation.

