Stephanie Goff, MD, senior staff clinician, National Cancer Institute (NCI), discusses the use of chemotherapy with anti-CD19 CAR T-cells for the treatment of advanced lymphoma.

A study investigating high-dose chemotherapy with anti-CD19 CAR T-cells found that the combination induced 4 out of 7 complete response (CR) in patients with advanced lymphoma. However, there was concern that the responses were caused by the chemotherapy and not by the CAR T-Cells, says Goff.

A new study was initiated to treat 22 patients with advanced lymphoma with anti-CD19 CAR T-cells and low-dose chemotherapy. Of those patients, 11 had complete responses. The responses have lasted from 6 to 22 months and all are ongoing. There were 19 patients included with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, 8 of which saw a response.

There was an increase in neurotoxicity with the low-dose of chemotherapy. However, this toxcity, while it can appear extreme, goes away in a few weeks. said Goff. 

Stephanie Goff, MD

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Dr. Stephanie Goff on Low-Dose Chemotherapy with CAR T-Cells in Advanced Lymphoma