CAR-T therapy for cancer is associated with risk for infectious disease death, Elizabeth Tracey reports

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An engineered type of T cell known as a CAR-T can be very beneficial for people with some types of cancer, yet a major cause of death among those who receive them is infection, a recent study finds. Kimmel Cancer Center director William Nelson at Johns Hopkins says the magnitude of risk is considerable.

Nelson: This is talking more generally about the outcomes of people treated with CAR-T cells. Some of this is clearly related to the treatment. More than 7600 patients across 18 clinical trials where they kept careful data, the non relapse mortality actually ranged between about 6 to 10.5 percent. It was more substantial I think than people had anticipated. What trouble are people getting into? Half of that mortality appears to be associated with infections, fungal infections, bacterial infections. virus infections.  :32

Infection risk notwithstanding, for some CAR-Ts remain the best option, Nelson notes. At Johns Hopkins, I’m Elizabeth Tracey.