What is CAR-T Therapy?
CAR-T Therapy is a new treatment developed to treat some cancers. It involves using the body’s own immune system to treat cancer. Whilst most treatments of this kind are currently only available in clinical trials, NHS England has now approved their use for some patients with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia or lymphoma in specific circumstances:
- Adult patients who have diffuse large B cell lymphoma, transformed follicular lymphoma, or primary mediastinal B cell lymphoma are eligible if the lymphoma has recurred twice, or if other treatments like chemotherapy have not worked
- Adult patients who have mantle cell lymphoma that has recurred after chemotherapy and Ibrutinib
- Patients aged 18-25 with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia are eligible if the leukaemia has recurred twice, or if chemotherapy has not worked
How CAR-T Therapy Works
The immune system is made up of specific cells and organs that protect the body from organisms that cause infection, disease, and abnormal cancer cells. CAR-T Therapy modifies the immune system activity to improve the body’s own ability to fight certain cancers.
White blood cells form part of the healthy immune system and these include T cells, also called T lymphocytes. CAR-T Therapy changes some of your body’s T cells, which are collected from your own blood.
In a laboratory, T cells are reprogrammed to produce special receptors called Chimeric Antigen Receptors (CARs). When these CARs are placed back into the body through an intravenous catheter, the receptors should help the T cells find and destroy cancer cells.
Stages of CAR-T Therapy
CAR-T therapy has several stages:
- Tests to see if the patient is fit enough to have CAR-T Therapy
- Collection of T-cells
- Reprogramming T-cells in the laboratory
- Conditioning chemotherapy – prepares the patient’s immune system to receive the CAR T-cells
- Infusion – reprogrammed cells are infused back into the patient
- Monitoring – helps manage side effects
- Follow–up, to see if the treatment is working and continue managing any remaining side effect.
Side Effects
There are some serious side effects that are quite common after having CAR-T Therapy. These include high fever, vomiting, difficulty breathing or speaking, confusion, and loss of consciousness. Our care team has lots of experience managing these side effects and will monitor you closely to check how you are reacting to the treatment.
Those who develop serious complications during treatment are transferred to a critical care ward at St James’s Hospital, to be treated by experienced staff,
Useful Information
Email [email protected] for more information about CAR-T Therapy at Leeds Teaching Hospitals.
Other useful information can be found at the following websites: