CAR T-cell therapy is where your T cells are modified in the lab so that they make a type of protein known as CAR before they are grown and given back to you. CAR stands for chimeric antigen receptor. CARs are designed to allow the T cells to attach to specific proteins on the surface of the cancer cells, improving their ability to attack the cancer cells.
Cellular immunotherapy
What if the cells that cancer affects could be trained to fight back? This is the core of cellular immunotherapy at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center. Cells are taken from your body and multiplied in a lab. Sometimes they are also re-engineered to help the cells better fight cancer. The boosted cells are then returned to your body. Now better able to spot cancer cells that were once hidden and attack them. Our treatments include chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells, T-cell receptor (TCR) modified cells and tumor infiltrating lymphocyte (TIL) cell therapy.
CAR T-cell therapy
CAR T-cell therapy is a game changer in the field of cellular immunotherapy. This innovative therapy engineers a patient’s own T cells to zero in on enemy cancer cells. The rebooted T cells can even help the immune system “remember” these cancer cells, which may offer long-lasting protection against cancer returning — even after the treatment is completed.
How CAR T-cell therapy works

CAR T-cell therapy begins with the collection of the patient’s T cells, a type of white blood cell.

The cells are engineered to become cancer-fighting cells, called chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells.

The CAR T cells are grown in the lab until there are millions to infuse back into the patient.

Once infused into the patient, the CAR T cells are now able to recognize and destroy cancer cells.
The FDA has approved six cellular immunotherapies for patients with hematologic malignancies. These are:
- Tisagenlecleucel, known by the brand name Kymriah®, is available for adults with relapsed or refractory large B-cell lymphoma and relapsed or refractory follicular lymphoma. It is also available for young adults with relapsed or refractory acute lymphoblastic leukemia.
- Axicabtagene ciloleucel (axi-cel), known by the brand name Yescarta®, is available for adults with relapsed or refractory large B-cell lymphoma, as well as relapsed or refractory follicular lymphoma.
- Brexucabtagene autoleucel, known by the brand name Tecartus®, is available for adults with relapsed or refractory mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) and adults with relapsed or refractory B-cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL).
- Lisocabtagene maraleucel, known by the brand name of Breyanzi®, is approved to treat adults with relapsed or refractory large B-cell lymphoma.
- Idecabtagene vicleucel, known by the brand name of Abecma®, is approved to treat adults with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma.
- Ciltacabtagene autoleucel, known by the brand name of Carvykti™, is approved to treat adults with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma.
Fred Hutch is one of the first centers in the nation to offer all six, due to the extensive experience of our physicians and nurses in developing and delivering this complex, groundbreaking therapy.
Cellular immunotherapy research therapies
In addition to offering FDA-approved therapies, Fred Hutch also partners closely with the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center to offer cellular immunotherapy clinical trials to individuals with different diseases. These clinical trials may include Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy, T-cell receptor (TCR) therapy or Tumor Infiltrating Lymphocyte (TIL) therapy.
Bezos Family Immunotherapy Clinic
Fred Hutch is a global CAR T-cell therapy leader, home to groundbreaking science and advanced immunotherapy. Over 200 patients have been part of our CAR T-cell clinical trials — one of the largest groups for a single institution. As both a research and cancer care center, we provide the therapies of tomorrow, today.
This expertise is the foundation for our Bezos Family Immunotherapy Clinic. Opened in October 2016, it is the first of its kind: a center dedicated to cellular immunotherapy, where Fred Hutch can offer more clinical trials and the newest therapies. Our specialized patient care coordinators at the Bezos Family Immunotherapy Clinic at Fred Hutch can provide more information.
In addition to the Bezos Family Immunotherapy Clinic, cellular immunotherapy patients can also be seen in the Blood and Marrow Transplant Program by immunotherapy experts.
Long-term follow-up
If you received immunotherapy treatment from Fred Hutch and have questions related to your treatment that your local physician can’t answer, our Long-Term Follow-Up (LTFU) program is here to help. Our physicians will work with you and your local team to care for you. We will also gather information from you to help us prevent and treat any long-term effects of immunotherapy.
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Fred Hutch resources
Learn more about our Long-Term Follow-Up Program from Fred Hutch including physician guidelines and published papers.