Expanding the horizon of CAR T cell therapy: from cancer treatment to autoimmune diseases and beyond.

Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T-cell therapy has garnered significant attention for its transformative impact on the treatment of hematologic malignancies such as leukemia and lymphoma. Despite its remarkable success, challenges such as resistance, limited efficacy in solid tumors, and adverse side effects remain prominent. This review consolidates recent advancements in CAR-T-cell therapy and explores innovative engineering techniques and strategies to overcome the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME). We also discuss emerging applications beyond cancer, including autoimmune diseases and chronic infections. Future perspectives highlight the development of more potent CAR-T cells with increased specificity and persistence and reduced toxicity, providing a roadmap for next-generation immunotherapies.