Cancer treatment with CAR T-cell therapy

CAR T-cell therapy aims to reprogram the patient's immune system to attack cancer. Doctors take a sample of T-lymphocytes (cells that fight tumors) intravenously. Blood flows from the body into a machine that removes white blood cells. The rest of the blood is sent back through another dropper. It takes 2-3 hours. Then doctors inject a weak virus into the selected cells, creating CAR T-cells. Modified T-cells are especially "trained" to detect cancer so they cannot "hide" from the immune system. In addition, the surface of cancer cells differs from healthy ones. Therefore, by attaching a unique CAR protein (chimeric antigen receptor) to the lymphocyte, the patient's immunity recognizes and attacks cancer cells. While growing cells in the laboratory, the patient usually undergoes a short course of chemotherapy. It suppresses the immune system, increasing CAR T-cells' effectiveness. After growing enough T-cells to fight cancer, they are injected into the body. The procedure resembles a blood transfusion. It is painless and well-tolerated. Once in the patient's body, the "trained" immune cells divide actively.