T Cell Therapy!

This type of therapy is pretty remarkable. There is still a lot of research being made, but the methodology is amazing. First, T cells are lymphocyte immune cells that mature in the thymus. Basically, they protect the body from cancer cells and pathogens. A therapy that has been worked on for decades is CAR T-Cell therapy for adults with lymphoma. Lymphoma is a cancer of the lymphatic system. It includes the lymph nodes, spleen, thymus gland, and bone marrow. This therapy modifies a patient’s T cells from blood causing them to attack cancer cells.

In a lab after a blood sample is collected, the T cells are infused with a special receptor that binds to specific proteins on the patient’s cancer cells. This receptor is the CAR (chimeric antigen receptor). Once the T cells are infused with the CAR receptor that are grown in large numbers and then given to the patient by infusion. Then, the newly developed T cells will bind to the cancer cells and destroy them (NIH). This therapy has been known to cause neurological damage; however, a groundbreaking trial in 2017 caused far fewer side effects than the original therapy. The sample size was small, but out of the 20 patients, only one had neurological damage. 
This therapy seems really awesome, but I also want to touch on some of the serious symptoms and pricing. According to the American Cancer Society, research has revealed that the serious side effects seem to be due to the cytokines produced. This increase in cytokines can cause very high fevers and very low blood pressure. This is called cytokine release syndrome, or CRS. Other serious side effects include: brain swelling, seizures, or severe headaches, and an increased risk for infection due to the CAR T cells killing good B cells. Unfortunately, CAR T cells have to be consistently infused in the body because they are not lasting. This means that multiple rounds are necessary. Each round costs on average $373,000. Insurance coverage is case by case. Many individuals have to weigh out if the treatment is worth multiples of that sum of money. Again, research is still occuring and hopefully once more information is gathered, the price will decrease.