CAR-T cell treatments Horizons Infosheet

This Horizons Infosheet provides information on CAR-T cell treatments, a type of treatment being investigated in myeloma.

This Infosheet covers key questions and topics about CAR-T cell treatments including:

• What CAR-T cell treatments are and how they work in myeloma
• The CAR-T cell treatment process
• The possible side effects of CAR-T cell treatments
• How to take part in clinical trials with CAR-T cell treatments
• Availability of CAR-T cell treatments in the UK
• Future research  

Key points you can read about in this Infosheet include:

• CART cell treatments use the body’s own immune system to kill myeloma cells
• Some of the patient’s own blood cells called T cells are taken out of the blood and modified in a laboratory
• The modified cells, called CART cells, can recognise a protein on the surface of myeloma cells. The CART cells are infused back into the patient
• Once in the patient, the CART cells recognise and attack myeloma cells
• Results of trials with CART cell treatments in myeloma have so far been promising, and larger-scale trials are now underway
• Side effects of CART cell treatments can be severe and can include infusion reactions, effects on the nervous system and reductions in blood cells (causing anaemia, increased risk of infections, and bleeding or bruising)
• CART cell treatments for myeloma are not available for use on NHS. However, people may be treated with them as part of a clinical trial

CAR-T Cell Horizons Infosheet

PDF / 954KB Download