CAR T cell therapy and stem cell transplant are among the most advanced treatment options for blood cancers such as leukemia, lymphoma and multiple myeloma. At City of Hope® Orange County, decades of pioneering research and clinical expertise continue to expand access to these innovative therapies, bringing new hope to patients across the region and beyond.
“The progress we’ve made with stem cell transplant and CAR T cell therapy has opened new possibilities for patients facing blood cancers,” says Lihong Wu, M.D., a medical oncologist and hematologist at City of Hope’s Long Beach Elm and Long Beach Worsham locations, part of the City of Hope Orange County regional network of advanced cancer care.
“Every patient’s cancer journey is unique, so a key question is which therapy is right for the patient and when,” says Dr. Wu. “We take a highly individualized approach at City of Hope, considering the whole person and the biology of their disease to determine the treatment path most likely to deliver the best result.”
What is CAR T cell therapy?
CAR T cell therapy is a type of immunotherapy that uses a patient’s own immune system to fight cancer. Doctors collect T cells from the patient’s blood and modify them in a laboratory so they can better recognize and attack cancer cells. These enhanced cells are then returned to the body to target the disease.
Huntington Beach resident Kathy Miller Willahan is grateful to be back doing the things she loves following successful CAR T therapy at City of Hope for non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. “Thanks to City of Hope, I can enjoy my family, especially my new great-grandson, travel and play pickleball,” she says.
What is stem cell transplantation?
The goal of stem cell transplantation is to restore healthy blood-forming cells after intensive cancer treatment. City of Hope has performed more than 20,000 bone marrow and stem cell transplants since 1976, reflecting decades of highly specialized expertise in researching and treating complex blood cancers.
“With City of Hope, I got hope and a second chance at life,” says Laguna Beach resident Arash Rounaghi, who successfully received a stem cell transplant at City of Hope for leukemia, utilizing healthy cells donated by his son. “Having City of Hope in our community changes everything for patients like me.”
Can patients receive both CAR T and stem cell transplant?
These therapies are not always “either/or.” Some patients may receive both treatments at different points in their care.
Are these treatments curative?
In some cases, CAR T cell therapy or stem cell transplant can offer durable control of the patient’s cancer or lead to long-term remission.
Ongoing research at City of Hope continues to advance these breakthrough therapies and explore how they can be used earlier or in combination to improve outcomes for more patients.
With superior cancer survival rates, hope flourishes every day. THIS IS HOPE.
CityofHope.org/OC | 888-333-HOPE (4673)
