T cell immunotherapy typically targets two types of antigens: private antigens and public antigens. Public antigens are those shared among multiple patients, with tumor-associated antigens (TAA) being antigens highly expressed in tumor cells while also present in healthy cells, albeit at lower levels.
Various tumor-associated antigens and tumor-specific antigens have been identified, with targeting TAA being a crucial approach in cancer treatment. Several cancer immunotherapy drugs relying on this mechanism are already on the market and proving to be highly effective clinically. The development of drugs targeting TAA remains a vibrant research area, with numerous targeted drugs for different types of tumors undergoing preclinical or clinical testing. Antibodies targeting TAA can not only directly kill tumor cells through ADCC effects but also serve as diagnostic markers or innovative additions to traditional cancer therapy for enhanced targeting.
