CAR (chimeric antigen receptor) T-cell treatments mark the beginning of a new era of personalised medicine for patients living with cancer.
CAR T- cell therapy is specifically developed for each individual patient and involves reprogramming the patient’s own immune system cells which are then used to target their cancer.
It is a highly complex treatment which has been shown to cure some patients including those with advanced cancers and where other available treatments have failed.
The NCCC is one of the first centres in Europe to provide this ground-breaking adult CAR T- cell cancer treatment for adults with large B-call lymphoma, a type of cancer of the lymphatic system.
The Northern Centre for Bone Marrow Transplant is a commissioned centre for CAR-T cell therapy and treats approximately 25-35 patients every year.
How the treatment works
The treatment involves several steps over a number of weeks.
First the patient’s blood is taken and is sent off to the manufacturer’s laboratory where the patient’s T cells are “retrained” to fight the cancer cells.
The CAR-T cells are then transported back to the hospital and the patient receives the CAR-T cells after a short chemotherapy block to treat their cancer. Patients will be treated as inpatient for 2-3 weeks to manage side effects from the therapy.
Newcastle Advanced Therapies
Our Newcastle Advanced Therapies team is one of the UK’s leading providers of licensed CAR-T therapies.
Our team works with industry, the NHS and research institutions to deliver innovative therapies at the forefront of modern medicine.
The team provides the expertise and knowledge required for the safe handling, receipt and distribution of multiple CAR-T medicines.
