AUTHOR=Gotti Manuel , Defrancesco Irene , D’Angelo Mario , Basso Sabrina , Crotto Luca , Marinelli Alfredo , Maccalli Cristina , Iaconianni Vincenzo 

TITLE=Cancer Immunotherapy Using Chimeric Antigen Receptor Expressing T-Cells: Present and Future Needs of Clinical Cancer Centers

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Immunology

VOLUME=Volume 11 - 2020

YEAR=2020

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/immunology/articles/10.3389/fimmu.2020.565236

DOI=10.3389/fimmu.2020.565236

ISSN=1664-3224

ABSTRACT=Chimeric Antigen Receptor T-cells (CAR-T) are considered novel biological agents, designed to selectively attack cancer cells expressing specific antigens, with demonstrated clinical activity in patients affected with relapsed/refractory B-cell malignancies. In consideration of their complexity, the use of CAR-T requires dedicated clinical setting and healthcare practitioners with expertise in the selection, treatment and management of toxicities and side effects. Such a issue appears particularly important when contextualized in the rapid progress of CAR-T cells treatment, translating into a constant need of updating and evolution. Moreover, the clinical grade manufacturing of CAR-T cells is complex and implies articulated regulatory and organizational aspects. The main goal of this review is to summarize and provide an accurate analysis of the clinical, logistic and regulatory requirements of CAR-T cell centers. Finally, we describe a new occupational figure called “CAR-T specialist” devoted to the establishment and coordination of the required facilities and regulatory landscape in the context of cancer centers.