The invention provides a chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) having antigenic specificity for CD70, the CAR comprising: an antigen binding-transmembrane domain comprising a CD27 amino acid sequence lacking all or a portion of the CD27 intracellular T cell signaling domain; a 4-1BB intracellular T cell signaling domain; a CD3ζ intracellular T cell signaling domain; and optionally, a CD28 intracellular T cell signaling domain. Nucleic acids, recombinant expression vectors, host cells, populations of cells, and pharmaceutical compositions relating to the CARs are disclosed. Methods of detecting the presence of cancer in a mammal and methods of treating or preventing cancer in a mammal are also disclosed.