The Landscape of Adoptive Cellular Therapies in Ovarian Cancer

Abstract

Ovarian cancers are typically poorly immunogenic and have demonstrated disappointing responses to immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) therapy. Adoptive cellular therapy (ACT) offers an alternative method of harnessing the immune system that has shown promise, especially with the success of chimeric antigen receptor T-cell (CAR-T) therapy in haematologic malignancies. So far, ACT has led to modest results in the treatment of solid organ malignancies. This review explores the possibility of ACT as an effective alternative or additional treatment to current standards of care in ovarian cancer. We will highlight the potential of ACTs, such as CAR-T, T-cell receptor therapy (TCR-T), tumour-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) and cell-based vaccines, whilst also discussing their challenges. We will present clinical studies for these approaches in the treatment of immunologically ‘cold’ ovarian cancer and consider the rationale for future research.