NEW YORK – A recent study has found that infection is the leading cause of nonrelapse death in patients undergoing CAR T therapy. This type of cancer treatment, which involves modifying a patient’s T cells to target cancer cells, has shown promising results, but the study highlights the need to address the risk of infection in these patients.
The study, conducted by researchers at a leading cancer center, analyzed data from over 200 patients who had received CAR T therapy. They found that 45% of nonrelapse deaths were due to infection, compared to 24% from organ damage and 22% from other causes. This underscores the importance of monitoring and managing infections in patients undergoing this cutting-edge treatment.
In addition to the high risk of infection-related deaths, the study also found that patients who had previously received extensive chemotherapy were more likely to experience severe infections after undergoing CAR T therapy. This suggests that the effects of prior treatments on the immune system should be taken into consideration when evaluating patients for CAR T therapy.
The researchers emphasized the need for proactive measures to prevent and treat infections in these patients, as well as the importance of developing strategies to minimize the impact of prior treatments on the immune system. These findings provide valuable insights for healthcare professionals and researchers working to improve the safety and effectiveness of CAR T therapy.
While CAR T therapy has shown remarkable success in treating certain types of cancer, the study highlights the potential risks associated with this treatment, particularly the heightened susceptibility to severe infections. Future research and clinical efforts will likely focus on addressing these challenges to maximize the benefits of CAR T therapy for patients with cancer.