CAR (chimeric antigen receptor) T-cell therapy is a type of immunotherapy. It uses a person’s own genetically modified T cells to find and kill cancer cells.
UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh is one of a small group of children's hospitals that offers this treatment.
We use KYMRIAH®, an FDA-approved CAR T-cell therapy for children and young adults with relapsed or refracted B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL).
T-cells are a type of white blood cell that can fight infection and disease. When a T-cell sees something as a threat — like a virus — it attacks and destroys it to keep the body healthy.
The goal of CAR T-cell therapy is to direct engineered T-cells to attack and destroy cancer cells.
Genetically alter the cells to express a CAR that binds to a protein on the surface of the cancer cells.
Infuse the altered T-cells back into your child, where they increase in number over a few weeks and hopefully destroy cancer cells.
CAR T-cell therapy can cause serious side effects. Your child will stay with us for one to two weeks after the infusion so we can watch for any issues.
Learn more about blood disorder and cancer care at UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh.