The invention provides a chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) (a) an antigen binding domain of HN1 or SS, a transmembrane domain, and an intracellular T cell signaling domain, or (b) an antigen binding domain of SS1, a transmembrane domain, an intracellular T cell signaling domain, and a granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) receptor 2 leader. Nucleic acids, recombinant expression vectors, host cells, populations of cells, antibodies, or antigen binding portions thereof, 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.