By modifying immune cells known as T cells (a kind of white blood cell) in the lab, chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy makes it possible for these cancer-fighting T cells to locate and eliminate cancer cells. Because CAR T-cell therapy involves changing the genes in T cells to enable them to fight cancer, it is occasionally referred to as a form of cell-based gene therapy.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved several CAR-T cell therapies for people who have certain blood cancers that don’t respond to chemotherapy and other treatments. This therapy is also used to treat people who have blood cancer that returns after other successful treatments.
CAR-T cell therapy is offered through special programs called risk evaluation and mitigation strategies (REMS). REMS ensure healthcare providers are certified to provide the therapy and have the know-how to manage any serious side effects.
