In a small study for hard-to-treat T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL), all 11 participants reached remission. This means no leukemia cells could be seen in their bone marrow using standard lab tests just four weeks after treatment. The therapy tested in the study was chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy.

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About the Study

The study included nine children and two adults with relapsed or treatment-resistant T-ALL. All had tried other treatments, including chemotherapy and bone marrow transplants, without success. Before receiving the new therapy, each person was given a course of medications to help get their system ready. Of the 11 people in the study, nine people achieved “deep remission,” in which even the most sensitive tests could not find any signs of leukemia.

After the therapy, people who responded well went on to have a bone marrow transplant to rebuild their immune systems.

The therapy is still experimental and not widely available outside of clinical trials.

What Is CAR T-Cell Therapy? How Does It Work?

CAR T-cell therapy is a type of immunotherapy that uses the body’s own immune system to fight cancer. In most types of CAR T-cell therapy, scientists harvest T cells (a type of white blood cell that helps fight infection) from your own blood. The T cells are then changed in a lab. Scientists add special proteins called chimeric antigen receptors to the surface of these cells. These receptors act like a GPS, guiding the T cells to seek out and destroy cancer cells.

For this study, researchers used an advanced technique called base editing to make even more precise changes to the T cells. The T cells were from healthy donors, so the cells were not harvested from the person receiving treatment.

What Does This Mean for People With T-ALL?

The study’s results are encouraging, especially for people whose cancer is hard to treat. If future studies continue to show strong results, CAR T-cell therapies could become more widely available for people with hard-to-treat T-cell leukemia.

However, it’s important to keep these points in mind:

• This is early-stage research with a small group of people. It’s not clear yet for whom this treatment will work well.
• CAR T-cell therapy can cause serious side effects, including infections, while the immune system recovers.
• This treatment isn’t yet available outside of clinical trials. It’s not currently a standard therapy for T-ALL.

If you or someone you know is living with T-ALL and exploring treatment options, talk to your cancer care team about clinical trials. New treatments are under development, and your doctor can help you check for studies you may be eligible to join.

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On MyLeukemiaTeam, people share their experiences with leukemia, get advice, and find support from others who understand.

Have you or a loved one explored CAR T-cell therapy or joined a clinical trial for T-ALL? Let others know in the comments below.