Purpose of review: To provide an overview of the principles, safety and efficacy of adoptive cell therapy (ACT) in solid tumors particularly in gynecological cancers.
Recent findings: Efforts to target solid tumors using tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes and genetically modified T cells have shown promising efficacy in some patients. Two food and drug administration approvals for the treatment of leukemia are the first gene therapies available for cancer treatment in the United States.
Summary: Genetic engineering of antitumor immunity using T cells has the potential to target specific tumor-associated antigens and overcome obstacles to successful immunotherapy like immune-suppressive factors in the tumor microenvironment.