A Breakthrough For Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma
- CAR T-cell therapy is a groundbreaking option that may offer a path to long-term remission for patients with relapsed diffuse large B-cell lymphoma.
- Houston is a major hub for CAR T-cell treatment and research, with experts like Dr. Jason Westin helping advance the field.
- Decades of scientific progress paved the way for today’s CAR T-cell breakthroughs, with even more promising developments on the horizon.
“CAR T-cells are an amazing breakthrough, and it’s very gratifying to see research we’ve been doing for years now paying off for our patients,” Dr. Jason Westin, a medical oncologist at MD Anderson Cancer Center, tells SurvivorNet.
Read More“The ability to potentially cure people who’ve had aggressive lymphomas that came back time and time again — this is the breakthrough we’ve been waiting for,” says Dr. Westin.
The History Behind the Breakthrough
Dr. Westin’s research is made possible by many pioneering researchers who came before him. Immune cells were first shown to protect mice from cancer in 1960, when scientists Eva and George Klein first discovered this foundational principal of cancer research. The field took a massive step forward in 1994 when scientists at Memorial Sloan Kettering in New York City isolated virus-specific T-Cells for use in stem cell transplants. The first effective CAR T-Cells were not developed until 2002 and were first used to fight prostate cancer.
“The sky is the limit for CAR T-cells in terms of the future. The current CAR-T cells we have are amazing, and I think the future is incredibly great for this to be a new approach for our patients,” says Dr. Westin, who is one of many researchers who are leading the charge in making Houston an epicenter for conducting this kind of research.
Expert Resources for CAR T-Cell Therapy
- Can You Afford the High Cost of CAR T-Cell Therapy?
- Confusion Can Be a Side Effect of CAR T-Cell Therapy
- Cytokine Release Syndrome: A CAR T-Cell Therapy Side Effect
- Explaining How CAR T-Cell Therapy Works for Multiple Myeloma Patients
- Expanding Access For Patients, Safety Restrictions Lifted For CAR T-Cell Therapy Breyanzi—A Powerful Treatment ForDiffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma (DLBCL)
- Getting Your Blood Drawn for CAR T-Cell Therapy
Questions To Ask Your Doctor
- Am I eligible for CAR T-cell therapy?
- What is the full timeline for this treatment, and what steps are involved?
- How will I be monitored during and after treatment?
- Are there steps I can take to prepare for CAR T-cell therapy?
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