CAR T-Cell Therapy

New Patient Appointment or 214-645-4673

CAR T-cell therapy is a type of immunotherapy, which is medication that enhances the ability of a patient’s immune system to attack cancer cells.

It can be an option for adults who have lymphoma that hasn’t responded to traditional chemotherapy and children and young adults with acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

UT Southwestern Medical Center was the first in Texas to offer CAR T-cell therapy to treat advanced cancer, and our program is the largest in the region.

Make an Appointment

Online or call 214-645-4673

New patient appointment

What Is CAR T-Cell Therapy?

CAR T-cell therapy is an advanced cancer treatment that uses a patient’s own immune cells to target and destroy cancer.

The immune system protects the body by recognizing harmful substances. It does this by detecting proteins called antigens on the surface of cells.

One important type of immune cell is the T-cell. T-cells help destroy abnormal or infected cells, including cells affected by viruses or cancer. Each T-cell has receptors that attach to specific antigens.

In some patients, T-cells cannot detect or destroy cancer cells, or there are not enough T-cells. CAR T-cell therapy aims to change that.

During this treatment, doctors collect a patient’s T-cells and genetically modify them in a laboratory. A new receptor, called a chimeric antigen receptor (CAR), is added to the T-cells. This receptor is designed to recognize a specific antigen on cancer cells.

The modified T-cells are grown into millions of copies and then infused back into the patient’s bloodstream. Once inside the body, they can better detect, target, and destroy cancer cells.

Compassionate Expertise. Unmatched Results.

Meet our Doctors

Explore Clinical Trials

Male doctor talking with senior man in exam room

Make an Appointment

What Types of Cancer Does CAR T-Cell Therapy Treat?

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved a number of CAR T-cell therapy products for specific types of blood cancers:

Certain types of large B-cell lymphoma, the most common type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma in adults, that have come back or have not responded to at least two previous types of treatment
A type of acute lymphoblastic leukemia in patients up to age 25 that has not responded to treatment or has come back after at least two previous treatments
Relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma

UT Southwestern’s cancer physicians and their experienced teams are dedicated to exceptional care, backed by the latest research, to help provide the best possible results for our patients.

What Can Patients Expect with CAR T-Cell Therapy?

Before CAR T-Cell Therapy

Our cancer specialists evaluate patients to determine whether they qualify for CAR T-cell therapy. Before treatment begins, patients complete medical testing and planning visits. Because the modified T-cells must be created in a laboratory, the preparation process can take several weeks.

During CAR T-Cell Therapy

The treatment process, which typically takes 12 to 16 weeks, has several steps

Blood collection: Our doctors begin by drawing blood from the patient. The blood flows through a machine that separates out the T-cells, while the remaining blood is returned to the patient. This procedure, called leukapheresis, typically takes several hours. Patients usually remain seated or lying down during the process, and in some cases, the procedure may need to be repeated to collect enough cells.
Genetic alteration of the T-cells: In a special laboratory, doctors genetically modify the T-cells using a disarmed virus. The T-cells produce molecules on their surface known as chimeric antigen receptors (CARs). Doctors then grow the new CAR T-cells so that they multiply into the millions. This process can take several weeks.
Chemotherapy: The patient receives a brief regimen of chemotherapy to reduce certain immune cells that might attack the new T-cells. This step helps prepare the body so the CAR T-cells can expand and work more effectively after infusion. The chemotherapy used in this phase is typically not as strong as chemotherapy given to treat cancer.
Infusion: The patient receives the new T-cells in an infusion procedure and typically stays in the hospital for one to two weeks. The T-cells travel through the bloodstream and lymph nodes. The new receptor allows the T-cells to bind tightly to a specific antigen on cancer cells. When the receptor attaches to the antigen, it activates the T-cell, and the T-cell releases substances that damage and kill the cancer cell.

After CAR T-Cell Therapy

After infusion, the genetically modified cells continue to multiply in the patient’s body as they circulate through the bloodstream. As they encounter cancer cells, they become activated and continue to multiply and expand. This expansion can strengthen the immune response against the cancer.

In some patients, these cells remain in the body for months or years and continue to monitor for cancer cells.

What Are the Potential Side Effects of CAR T-Cell Therapy?

It is important for patients to receive CAR T-cell therapy from an expert team of cancer specialists at a facility like UT Southwestern. Because the treatment activates the immune system, it can sometimes cause serious side effects. Our cancer doctors have the necessary experience, gained through our participation in clinical trials, to monitor patients for complications.

Potential side effects include:

Cytokine release syndrome (CRS): As CAR T-cells multiply in the body, they release immune signaling proteins called cytokines. This reaction can cause symptoms such as high fever, chills, nausea, vomiting, headache, fatigue, trouble breathing, dizziness, or a rapid heartbeat. In severe cases, CRS can cause low blood pressure or other serious complications.
Neurologic symptoms: CAR T-cell therapy can affect the nervous system in some patients. Symptoms may include confusion, headache, difficulty speaking or understanding language, tremor, loss of balance, seizures, or changes in alertness.
Low blood cell counts: CAR T-cell therapy can lower levels of red blood cells (anemia), white blood cells (neutropenia), and platelets (thrombocytopenia). This can increase the risk of fatigue, infection, bruising, or bleeding.
Allergic reactions during infusion: Some patients may experience allergic-type reactions when the CAR T-cells are infused.
Changes in blood chemistry: CAR T-cell therapy can affect levels of minerals such as potassium, sodium, or phosphorus in the blood.
Weakened immune system and infection risk: Some patients develop a reduced ability to fight infections after treatment.
Other possible complications: In rare cases, CAR T-cell therapy may increase the risk of developing other cancers later in life.

Why Choose UT Southwestern for CAR T-Cell Therapy?

We have experience in CAR T-cell therapy that few medical centers can match.

We treat the second-highest number of pediatric patients in the world using Kymriah, an FDA-approved treatment for acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL).
Cancer researchers at UT Southwestern took part in clinical trials for CAR T-cell therapy for a type of leukemia; we were one of only 13 centers in the U.S. and the only one in the region to do so.
We were one of a few U.S. medical centers participating in a clinical trial for the most advanced CAR T-cell therapy for multiple myeloma, known as BB2121.
UT Southwestern Pediatric Group was one of 25 sites for the Novartis-sponsored ELIANA study, which was the first global clinical trial of CAR T-cell therapy for the treatment of refractory/relapsed ALL in pediatric patients.

As the only National Cancer Institute (NCI)-designated comprehensive cancer center in North Texas, we deliver the best cancer care available today and push to discover new treatments. NCI designation means we offer patients the ability to participate in the broadest possible range of clinical trials, with access to potential therapies not available at other facilities.

What Clinical Trials Are Available for CAR T-Cell Therapy?

As a medical research institution, UT Southwestern frequently conducts a wide variety of cancer clinical trials, giving our patients access to the newest treatments. Research and clinical trials are ongoing to develop CAR T-cell therapies to treat:

Acute myelogenous leukemia (AML)
Chronic lymphocytic leukemia
Solid tumors, such as osteosarcoma
Other types of lymphoma

Patients should speak with their doctors about the availability of clinical trials.

Harold C. Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center

Cancer Care at the Highest Level. Anywhere.

Our team of hundreds of leading cancer physicians and oncology-trained support staff is a trusted partner in returning patients with cancer to good health.