CAR-T cell therapy, also known as chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy, is a type of immunotherapy that uses a patient’s own immune system to fight cancer.
- Currently, it is approved for treating leukaemias and lymphomas.
- Collecting T Cells: T cells, a type of white blood cell that helps fight infection, are extracted from the patient’s blood through a process known as Apheresis.
- Genetic Engineering: In the laboratory, the T cells are genetically modified to express a special protein called a chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) on their surface.
- Expansion: The engineered T cells are multiplied in large numbers in the lab.
- Infusion: The expanded CAR-T cells are then infused back into the patient’s bloodstream, where they can identify and attack cancer cells that express the targeted antigen.
Source: The Hindu