Work

CAR T‐Cell Therapy in Neurology: A Scoping Review of Neuro‐Oncology, Autoimmune Diseases & Neurotoxicity

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy has been investigated in neurological diseases, encompassing both central nervous system malignancies and autoimmune disorders, thereby extending its application beyond hematological cancers. This scoping review evaluates CAR T-cell therapy applications in neurological conditions, assessing therapeutic efficacy, safety profiles, and neurotoxicity management strategies. A literature search across four databases (January 2020-December 2025) identified 33 studies meeting the inclusion criteria, encompassing original and secondary research from international centers. CAR T-cell therapy demonstrated promising efficacy across diverse neurological conditions. In glioblastoma trials, 44% of patients (n = 128) achieved partial or complete clinical/radiographic responses with favorable safety profiles. Moreover, compelling results emerged from neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder studies, in which 92% of patients (11/12) achieved sustained relapse-free remission over a median follow-up of 5.5 months. Multiple sclerosis, myasthenia gravis, and stiff-person syndrome cases exhibited excellent treatment tolerance without significant immune effector cell-associated neurotoxicity syndrome (ICANS), which is a major concern affecting 27% of patients with hematological malignancies. Overall, CAR T-cell therapy emerges as a novel therapeutic strategy in neurology, encompassing both oncological and autoimmune conditions. Toxicity profiles in neurological CAR T-cell applications differ substantially from those observed in hematologic malignancies, underscoring the need for condition-specific risk assessment frameworks and customized management approaches. Future research should prioritize larger multicenter trials with extended follow-up to establish definitive efficacy and safety profiles in neurological indications.

Source: Annals of Clinical and Translational Neurology

DOI: 10.1002/acn3.70415

Authors: Omar Alqaisi, Mohammed Dibas, Patricia Tai, Ala Dibas, Osama Souied, Suhair Al‐Ghabeesh

Institutions: Al-Zaytoonah University of Jordan, An-Najah National University, University of Saskatchewan, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center

Language: English

Topic: CAR-T cell therapy research

Subfield: Oncology

Field: Medicine

Domain: Health Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $4,100