Huang Lab Publishes Review on CAR T Cell Therapy in Solid Tumors in Hematological Oncology

SAN ANTONIO, Texas — The Huang Lab at the Mays Cancer Center at UT Health San Antonio announces a new review in Hematological Oncology: "CAR T Cell Therapy in Solid Tumors: Lessons From Early-Phase Clinical Trials and Biological Barriers to Efficacy." The article was first published June 15, 2026, and appears in Volume 44, Issue 4. Authors are Kasie Liu, Vincent Truong Pham, Shaozi Fu, LuZhe Sun, and Gang Huang.

The review uses the success of CAR T cell therapy in blood cancers as a benchmark, then asks why solid tumors have proven so much harder to treat. The authors trace the gap to structural, metabolic, and immunologic barriers that are less prominent in many hematologic malignancies. They examine how antigen heterogeneity, poor T cell trafficking, a suppressive metabolic environment, immunosuppressive signaling, and on-target, off-tumor toxicity each limit CAR T cell infiltration, persistence, and function within solid tumors.

Drawing on preclinical models and early-phase trial data, the authors identify a consistent pattern. Antitumor activity is most achievable when therapies target tumor-enriched antigens, when delivery strategies overcome physical barriers, and when CAR T cells are engineered to resist exhaustion and suppression. The review evaluates next-generation strategies, including cytokine armoring, multi-antigen and logic-gated recognition, regional delivery, and regulatable safety circuits, then proposes a framework for designing CAR T cells around solid tumor biology.

"Solid tumors demand a different design philosophy than blood cancers," said Dr. Gang Huang, principal investigator. "This review states the barriers honestly and points toward engineered therapies built to function in hostile microenvironments."

The work aligns with the lab's translational programs in cell therapy for solid tumors. Authors V.T.P. and G.H. are co-founders and board members of Powerhouse Therapeutics Inc. and hold equity in the company.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/hon.70209

About the Huang Lab

The Huang Lab at UT Health San Antonio is a basic and translational cancer research group within the MD Anderson Mays Cancer Center at UT Health San Antonio. Our team integrates hematology and solid tumor biology with immunology and metabolism to uncover mechanisms and design interventions. We advance cell and biologic therapies, including CAR T-cell approaches for solid tumors. We also conduct research in trauma and military health. We move discoveries toward clinical impact through product development and collaborations with clinicians and industry. Education and mentorship are core to our mission. We train students, postdoctoral fellows, and early-career scientists in rigorous, multidisciplinary research. Together, we aim to deliver therapies and technologies that improve patient outcomes.