T-cell-based immunotherapy in colorectal cancer

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the leading cause of cancer death worldwide. CRC therapeutic strategies include surgical resection, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and other approaches. However, patients with metastatic CRC have worse prognoses. In recent years, T-cell-based immunotherapy has elicited promising responses in B-cell malignancies, melanoma, and lung cancer, but most CRC patients are resistant to immunotherapy, chemotherapy, and targeted therapy. Immune checkpoint inhibitors have shown encouraging results in non-small cell lung cancer, melanoma, and other cancers, but immune checkpoint blockade is only effective for CRC subset with microsatellite instability. Other immunotherapies, such as cytokines, cancer vaccines, small molecules, oncolytic viruses, and chimeric antigen-receptor therapy, are currently in use against CRC. This review analyzes recent developments in immunotherapy for CRC treatment as well as the challenges in overcoming resistance.

Automated summary

Colorectal cancer is the leading cause of cancer death worldwide, with therapeutic strategies including surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and other approaches. T-cell-based immunotherapy has shown promising responses in other cancers, but most CRC patients are resistant to immunotherapy, chemotherapy, and targeted therapy. Immune checkpoint inhibitors have shown encouraging results in some cancers, but are only effective for a subset of CRC patients with microsatellite instability. Other immunotherapies are currently being used against CRC.