Strategies for the Development of NK Cell-Based Therapies for Cancer Treatment

CAR-T cell therapy is a promising method of cancer treatment, but it has some disadvantages. These disadvantages have led scientists to explore the use of safer CAR-NK cells and new genetic modifications in order to improve the effectiveness of CAR cells. In this paper, we analyze existing approaches to modifying CAR-NK cells and discuss the results of clinical trials involving CAR-NK therapies. Conventionally, approaches to NK cell modification can be divided into three main groups: strategies to enhance antitumor cytotoxicity, strategies to improve the survival of CAR-NK cells and prolong their persistence in the body, and strategies to increase the safety of CAR-NK cells. The effects of CAR-NK cells on different tumor types are presented, and the number of clinical trials involving CAR-NK cells has been increasing every year, with positive results so far. As of September 2025, all the trials are in the early 1-2 stages of research, and it is expected that the first CAR-NK product will be approved in the near future.