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.