II. Mechanism
- Extraction of WBCs via Leukapheresis
- White Blood Cells (including T Cells) extracted from patient's blood and T Cells are concentrated
- White cells of interest for re-engineering
- Natural Killer Cells (NK cells)
- Lymphokine-activated Killer T Cells
- Cytotoxic T cells
- Dendritic Cells
- Reprogramming
- Multiplication
- Engineered CAR T Cells are multiplied in a bioreactor
- Preparation with lymphodepletion
- Patient is administered Chemotherapy to suppress their own White Blood Cells
- Treatment
- Engineered CAR T Cells are infused into the patient
- T Cells recognize target Antigens and destroy cancer cells
- Sensitization to additional cancer cell components (cross-prime), providing additional cancer destruction
III. Medications: CD19 Cell Surface Targets
- Tisagenlecleucel
- B Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia
- Axicabtagene ciloleucel
- B Cell Lymphoma subtypes
IV. Adverse Effects
- See Cytokine Release Syndrome (CRS)
- Neurotoxicity
- Signs
- Headache
- Expressive Aphasia
- Confusion to Delirium
- Seziures (including nonconvulsive Status Epilepticus in 10% of cases)
- Cerebral edema
- Encephalopathy (CAR T Cell-related encephalopathy or CRES)
- Management
- Seizure Prophylaxis
- Corticosteroids may be more effective than Tocilizumab (see dosing under CRS as above)
- Signs
- On-Target/Off Tumor Recognition
- T Cell attacks noncancerous cells displaying target Antigen
V. References
- Jansson and Pallin (2020) Crit Dec Emerg Med 34(4): 19-28
- Santomasso (2019) Am Soc Clin Oncol Educ Book 39:433-444