CAR-T Cell Therapy: An Advanced Cancer Treatment Option at AHN West Penn Hospital

Facing cancer is hard. Finding the right treatment can feel even harder.

At the AHN Cancer Institute at West Penn Hospital, patients now have more options — including CAR-T cell therapy, an advanced treatment for people whose cancer hasn’t responded to traditional therapies.

What is CAR-T cell therapy?

CAR-T cell therapy is an immunotherapy — a type of treatment that uses your body’s own immune system to fight cancer. AHN doctors take special white blood cells called T cells from your body, alter them in a lab so they can find cancer cells, then put them back into your body through an IV to kill cancer cells.

Even though this type of treatment is complex, the infusion (putting the cells back in your body) only takes a few minutes.

CAR-T cell therapy is used to treat types of blood cancer, including:

• Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma – Cancer that starts in the immune system and can grow in the lymph nodes or outside of the lymphatic system (part of the immune system).
• B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL) – Cancer that affects blood cells and bone marrow.
• Multiple myeloma – Condition that occurs when cells become cancerous and destroy bone marrow.

“For many people, CAR-T therapy is a better alternative to traditional cancer therapies because it works with their immune system — rather than against it — to start fighting their disease and changing the course of their health, very quickly,” said John Lister, MD, chief of the Division of Hematology and Cellular Therapy at AHN Cancer Institute.

Determining whether CAR-T therapy is right for you

If your oncologist sends you to West Penn Hospital, our cancer team will look at the following to see if CAR-T therapy is right for you:

• The type of cancer you have
• How well your organs are working
• Your age

“We do consider age when determining how a person might respond to this therapy,” said Dr. Lister. “The age range of eligible patients continues to expand, with the oldest patient treated recently at 79 years old.” 

Preparing for treatment

Once the team at West Penn determines you’re ready for CAR-T therapy, they will walk you through the steps to prepare for it, including:

• Checking your organs and overall health
• Setting a date for your infusion
• Taking your T cells and changing them in a lab to be able to target and attack cancer cells
• Giving you chemotherapy treatments to make space for new CAR-T cells

Your care team will check in with you regularly during this time to answer any questions you have as you prepare for treatment.

Recovery after therapy

After the infusion, the team will monitor you closely every 12 hours for up to two weeks.

The two main side effects the team will look out for are:

• Cytokine Release Syndrome (CRS) – A reaction that causes flu-like symptoms such as fever, shortness of breath, and low blood pressure.
• Immune Cell-Associated Neurotoxicity Syndrome (ICANS) – A side effect with symptoms like confusion, memory loss, and fatigue.

Specialists at West Penn will treat your side effects and help you feel as comfortable as possible, which may include using medications and pain management interventions.

Your emotional support system — family, friends, and caregivers — will also play a big part in promoting a smooth recovery.

“Having an engaged network of family and friends is a very important aspect of treatment,” said Dr. Lister.

Your oncology team will make sure you and your loved ones have the tools you need to feel fully supported during your recovery.

Following up for best results

Many patients react well to CAR-T cell therapy. Some even achieve complete cancer remission and long-term survival.*

To ensure the best outcomes following your therapy, the team at West Penn will do regular follow-up visits with you to track your progress through:

• PET-CT scans about 30 days after treatment (and more later, if needed) for lymphoma patients
• Bone marrow and blood tests for patients with leukemia

Finding the right therapy for you

AHN West Penn Hospital is here to help you choose the right cancer treatment for your diagnosis and needs. Read more about treatment options available to you at AHN Cancer Institute at West Penn Hospital.