What is CAR T-cell therapy?

CAR T-cell therapy is a groundbreaking form of immunotherapy that specifically involves modifying a patient's own T cells to enhance their ability to recognize and attack cancer cells. This process begins by extracting T cells from the patient’s bloodstream, which are then genetically engineered in a laboratory to express chimeric antigen receptors (CARs). These receptors equip the T cells with the capability to identify cancer-specific antigens, allowing them to effectively target and destroy malignant cells upon re-infusion into the patient.

The significance of CAR T-cell therapy lies in its personalized approach, leveraging the body’s own immune system to combat cancer, particularly in hematological malignancies like certain leukemias and lymphomas. This therapy represents a shift from traditional cancer treatments, which often directly target the tumor through cytotoxic means or external radiation, to a method that mobilizes and enhances the immune response against cancer. By rerouting a patient’s immune cells to specifically hunt down cancer cells, CAR T-cell therapy can lead to significant and sometimes long-lasting remissions, particularly in cases that have not responded to conventional treatments.