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Stem cell transplant vs CAR-T: What can I expect with CAR-T?
Hi, I have multiple myeloma and received a stem cell transplant 13 months ago. Although I have an array of effects from the transplant and ongoing treatment, life is good. I went back to a nurse practitioner job I love 10 weeks after transplant, although did not start seeing patients again for about 6 months. One of my cancer markers is increasing and the discussions regarding CAR T therapy have started. A comment from nurses is that people are really sick, which given these nurses see every day, is concerning. For those of you who have been through both procedures, could you provide any thoughts you have on relative difficulty, length of recovery, ability to work after CAR T etc. I had a lot of cognitive problems after transplant, I’m concerned that CAR T will mean disability for me. I can live with that, but just want to be prepared. Thanks advance!
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Welcome to Connect, @merrle As you’ve learned with your stem cell transplant, there can be some side effects to the treatment. With MM, the stem cell transplant is frequently done using the patient’s own cells in an Autologous transplant. Is that what you had? Were you able to use your own cells?
That does differ from a Allogenic transplant using cells of a donor. The recovery time for that process is quite lengthy and generally you’re not back to work after 10 weeks. So I’m expecting you had a autologous transplant.
CAR-T therapy uses your own cells. From the Mayo site, “ CAR-T cell therapy is an individualized cell-based technique that involves removing some of your own white blood cells, including T cells. To make CAR-T cells, the collected T cells are genetically treated in the lab to produce special receptors called chimeric antigen receptors, or CARs. These CARs allow the T cells to recognize an antigen (or marker) at the surface of cancer cells and activate T cells' ability to kill these cancer cells. The CAR-T cells are infused back into your body to identify and destroy certain cancers. This immunotherapy is one of the most promising areas of cancer treatment.”
I’m not sure we have members who have gone through both an auto transplant and CAR-T. But we do have a growing number CAR-T members in the forum who share there experiences in several discussions where you’ll meet @ntsimpson @denisej4032 @rogweigel @sunnyd @kirkwilliams2049 @barbarneson @burchfield and many other members who have gone through this life saving therapy.
Here are two links for you:
CAR-T Cell Therapy: Introduce yourself and connect with others: https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/car-t-cell-therapy-introduce-yourself-and-connect-with-others/
CAR-T: Opportunity to Connect
https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/opportunity-to-connect/
My suggestion is to speak to these members and not necessarily listen to anecdotal stories from people who have not gone through the procedure. I had a allogenic stem cell transplant and if I’d listened to the horror stories I wouldn’t be here! I’m 5+ years post transplant and at 70 years old, have a wonderfully normal, healthy life.
Are you near a larger university or teaching hospital where this will take place?