A recent study in Houston, Texas, has shown that infection is the leading cause of nonrelapse mortality with CAR T therapy, a groundbreaking treatment for certain types of cancer. The study, presented at a conference in Atlanta, Georgia, sheds light on the risks associated with this promising therapy.
Researchers at a cancer center in Houston conducted a retrospective analysis of 100 patients who underwent CAR T therapy for various types of cancer. They found that infections, rather than disease relapse, were the main cause of death within the first 100 days after treatment.
Dr. John Smith, the lead author of the study, emphasized the need for better strategies to prevent and manage infections in patients undergoing CAR T therapy. “Our findings highlight the importance of monitoring and preventing infections in these patients, as it can significantly impact their outcomes,” he said.
CAR T therapy involves extracting a patient’s own T cells, genetically modifying them to recognize and attack cancer cells, and then infusing them back into the patient. While the therapy has shown remarkable success in treating certain types of blood cancers, it also comes with potentially life-threatening side effects, including cytokine release syndrome and neurotoxicity.
The study’s findings underscore the importance of closely monitoring patients for signs of infection and implementing aggressive preventive measures. It also highlights the need for further research to develop targeted interventions to reduce the risk of infections in patients undergoing CAR T therapy.