Tag Archive for: B-Cell Maturation Antigen

How Can CAR T-Cell Therapy Be Explained to Patients and Families?

How Can CAR T-Cell Therapy Be Explained to Patients and Families? from Patient Empowerment Network on Vimeo.

How can patients and families be educated about CAR T-cell therapy? Expert Dr. Sikander Ailawadhi from Mayo Clinic discusses the approach he takes to explaining the treatment to those new to learning about CAR T.

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See More from [ACT]IVATED CAR T

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Reducing CAR T-Cell Therapy Barriers for Relapsed/Refractory Myeloma

Reducing CAR T-Cell Therapy Barriers for Relapsed/Refractory Myeloma

Roadblocks for Black and Latinx Patients From CAR T Trial Access

Roadblocks for Black and Latinx Patients From CAR T Trial Access

How Are Cultural and Language Barriers to CAR T Therapy Being Addressed?

How Are Cultural and Language Barriers to CAR T Therapy Being Addressed?

Transcript:

Lisa Hatfield:

Dr. Ailawadhi, how do you explain CAR T therapy to your patients and families hearing about it for the first time?

Dr. Sikander Ailawadhi:

Lisa, that’s a very important question of how we explain CAR T to a patient, or their family members, of course, their caregivers. If we just take a step back and think about it, this is the most closed way are to science fiction in treating multiple myeloma. And so obviously, explaining that in terms that makes sense to them, gets them excited, but also gives them, one, the promise of the treatment and two, the appropriate details of potential side effects, et cetera, so that the patient can take an informed decision.

That boils down to the principle of shared decision making that all of us keep vying for. So the way I explain is that CAR T-cell therapy is based on the fact of taking a patient’s immune system, training it to go against that particular cancer and giving that hyper-activated or that activated trained immune system back to the patient.

And what we typically…the way I would explain that is that, some of these patients have had stem cell transplants before. It’s also important for me to keep comparing and contrasting with that. We explain to the patients that they typically undergo some testing to identify whether they’re candidates for CAR T or not, based on organ function, et cetera. Then we collect the T cells from their bloodstream. But as against stem cell transplant where the collection could have taken three to five days, T-cell collection is done only in one day in one sitting, outpatient.

And then those T cells are sent for manufacturing. During that time, the patient, we work on controlling their disease, and then those T cells are genetically modified. Some DNA for a target that is present on the myeloma cells, that is inserted into the T cells’ DNA.

The genetic material of a seeker is put into the T cells. Then those T cells are multiplied in the lab, and are sent back to us a few weeks later from the collection as a bag as the drug. And this has given back to the patients. Now, those trained activated T cells, have that seeker that they can specifically go and target a particular marker on the myeloma cells. In the case of both the CAR T cells that are currently FDA-approved, that, target on the myeloma cells is called BCMA. B-cell maturation antigen. So while the myeloma had that BCMA, the myeloma was growing because our immune system was not able to control it.

Now, the new…these activated T cells that came back or trained T cells, they have a seeker that can specifically go seek out the BCMA attached to it and kill those myeloma cells. And by the way, this BCMA is almost universally present on the myeloma cells. If I have to keep in mind an activation tip for this question of how do I explain CAR T-cell therapy is we take your immune system, as in the patient’s immune system, that immune system is trained to specifically go against the myeloma and is given back to the patients so that now those T cells are able to go and kill the myeloma, which was growing uncontrolled previously.


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Questions to Ask Your Doctor About CAR T-Cell Therapy

Questions to Ask Your Doctor About CAR T-Cell Therapy from Patient Empowerment Network on Vimeo.

What should you know when considering CAR T-cell therapy for myeloma? This animated explainer video provides an overview of key questions to ask your healthcare team and advice for patients and care partners when considering CAR T-cell therapy.

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Accessing Myeloma CAR T-Cell Therapy Clinical Trials

Transcript:

While receiving a myeloma diagnosis and choosing a therapy can be overwhelming, advancements in research are providing more options and more hope for patients than ever.  

And these advancements include CAR T-cell therapy a treatment in which a patient’s T cells, a type of immune system cell, are laboratory-altered to attack cancer cells in the body.  

If you are curious about this option, consider asking your healthcare team these key questions: 

  • Am I a candidate? 

CAR T-cell therapy patients must meet specific criteria. 

  • What are the risks? Common side effects of this type of therapy are cytokine release syndrome (CRS), neurotoxicity, suppressed immune system, and low blood counts. 
  • Is the timing right for me? The current approval is for patients who are later in their myeloma journey. 
  • Are there alternatives? Ask about other treatment options that may be appropriate for your myeloma. 
  • Is there a clinical trial that may be right for me? There are many myeloma treatments available in clinical trials, there may even be CAR T-cell therapy options. 
  • What is the cost? Every person’s insurance situation is different so it’s important to understand what the financial impact will be. 
  • What is the center’s experience with CAR T-cell therapy? Your healthcare team should be well-versed in this type of treatment. 

Beyond asking these questions, it’s also critical to research the therapy on your own –– ask your doctor where to find reliable information about the options you are considering.   

You should also discuss the pros and cons of each treatment option with your healthcare team, inquiring about potential side effects, and understand how the treatment is administered and the frequency of appointments. 

And it’s always a good idea to review your treatment choices with a care partner, such as a friend or loved one – someone you trust. 

Finally, always speak up and ask questions. Remember, you have a voice in YOUR myeloma care. 

To learn more about myeloma and to access tools for self-advocacy, visit powerfulpatients.org/myeloma.  

What Is CAR T-Cell Therapy for Myeloma?

What Is CAR T-Cell Therapy for Myeloma? from Patient Empowerment Network on Vimeo.

How does CAR T-cell therapy work to treat myeloma? This animated video provides an overview of the CAR T-cell process, explains which patient this treatment could be appropriate for, and reviews potential side effects.

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Transcript:

CAR T-cell therapy is a type of treatment in which a patient’s own immune system cells, also known as T cells, are reprogrammed in a laboratory to attack cancer cells.  

The process involves removing T cells from the patient’s blood. Then, the T cells are sent to a laboratory where a gene for a special receptor that binds to a protein on the patient’s cancer cells is added to the T cells. The special receptor is called a chimeric antigen receptor.  

When this process is complete, the cells are put back into the patient’s body by infusion. The altered T cells then attack and destroy cancer cells in the patient’s body. 

In myeloma patients, the FDA-approved CAR T-cell therapies recognize a protein called B.C.M.A. on the surface of myeloma cells. 

Now that you know how CAR T-cell therapy works, who is CAR T-cell therapy right for? 

  • While still a new treatment, CAR T-cell therapy is currently approved for people with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma who have already received four or more lines of therapy. 

While every patient reacts differently to CAR T-cell therapy, some of the potential side effects may include: 

  •  Cytokine Release Syndrome, which occurs when the immune system responds to infection or immunotherapy drugs more aggressively than it should. Symptoms may include fever, nausea, fatigue, and body aches.
  • Another potential side effect is neurotoxicity, which may cause negative effects on the nervous system such as confusion, difficulty speaking or understanding, loss of balance or consciousness, tremors and seizures. 
  • And blood count recovery can be slower following CAR T-cell therapy.   

So, what should you ask your doctor about CAR T-cell therapy? 

  • Is CAR T-cell therapy available at this cancer center? 
  • Is CAR T-cell therapy an option for me now or in the future? 
  • What is the cost of this therapy? 
  • What are the risks and benefits of this approach? 
  • What can I expect during the recovery process? 

To learn more about innovative myeloma therapies and to access tools to help you become a pro-active patient, visit powerfulpatients.org.