What is CAR-T cell therapy? – Current Updates (August, 2024)

August 3, 2024

CAR-T cell therapy is a groundbreaking type of immunotherapy that uses the patient’s immune system to fight certain blood cancers. It is particularly promising for treating leukemia and lymphoma.

Understanding the Immune System

The immune system is the body’s defense against diseases, composed of various types of cells:

White Blood Cells (WBCs): Made in the bone marrow, they fight infections.
Neutrophils: Attack harmful invaders.
Lymphocytes: These include B-cells (which make antibodies) and T-cells (which kill infected cells).
Monocytes: Turn into macrophages to eat up invaders.
Eosinophils: Fight parasites and reduce inflammation.
Basophils: Involved in inflammatory responses.

Immune Response Mechanisms

The immune system has two main strategies:

Innate Immunity: Provides quick, general defense using barriers and certain cells.
Adaptive Immunity: Uses lymphocytes for a targeted response, creating memory cells for future protection.

T-Cells and CAR-T Therapy

T-cells are important in CAR-T cell therapy because they can remember and attack specific harmful invaders. In this therapy, scientists change the T-cells using genetic engineering. They add special receptors called chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) to the T-cells. These CARs help the T-cells recognize and stick to cancer cells. This allows the T-cells to find and destroy the cancer cells more effectively.

The CAR-T Cell Therapy Procedure

T-cells are vital in this therapy because they can remember and attack specific pathogens. Here’s how the therapy works:

Apheresis: Collecting T-cells from the patient’s blood.
Genetic Modification: Altering T-cells in the lab to add CARs (Chimeric Antigen Receptors) that recognize and bind to cancer cells.
Expansion: Growing a large number of modified T-cells.
Reinfusion: Putting the modified T-cells back into the patient’s bloodstream

Benefits of CAR-T Cell Therapy

Targeted Precision: Directly attacks cancer cells, sparing healthy tissues and reducing side effects.
Personalized Treatment: Customized to the patient’s specific type of cancer.
Long-Lasting Effects: Provides a prolonged immune response against cancer.
Reduced Healthcare Costs: Fewer hospital stays and less need for ongoing treatment.
Advances in Research: Constant improvements lead to new treatment options and better patient outcomes.
Affordability: Innovations like NexCAR19 make the therapy more accessible.

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