Tumor-specific cell-surface receptor

A tumor-specific cell-surface receptor or marker is a broad category of molecules that are uniquely or significantly overexpressed on the plasma membrane of malignant cells compared to normal tissues (Source: NIH National Cancer Institute). These markers serve as essential targets for precision medicine, enabling the selective delivery of therapeutic agents while minimizing damage to healthy cells (Source: Nature Reviews Cancer). Biologically, these markers often play functional roles in tumor progression, such as promoting uncontrolled cell growth, facilitating metastasis through cell adhesion, or aiding in immune system evasion (Source: PubMed). Common examples of these targets include HER2 in breast cancer, CD20 in B-cell lymphomas, and PSMA in prostate cancer (Source: UniProt). Therapeutic strategies targeting these markers include monoclonal antibodies that block signaling or recruit immune effectors, and CAR T-cell therapies that reprogram the patient's own immune system to recognize the tumor (Source: Journal of Hematology & Oncology). However, the clinical effectiveness of targeting these markers is often limited by 'on-target off-tumor' toxicity if the marker is expressed at low levels in vital organs, as well as the potential for tumors to lose the antigen to escape treatment (Source: StatPearls).

Other names

Tumor-specific antigenTumor-associated antigenCancer cell-surface markerTumor-specific markerTSATAATSM

Targeted binding by monoclonal antibodies, antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs), or chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cells to induce cell death via immune recruitment (ADCC, CDC), direct signaling inhibition, or intracellular delivery of cytotoxic payloads.