CAR-T cell therapy has changed care for many people with blood cancers, but a small number of patients develop serious inflammation in the intestine after treatment.
In a study published in Nature Medicine and described by Mount Sinai on September 25, researchers examined intestinal tissue and immune-system changes in patients with this rare complication.
The team found that CAR-T cells can remain in the intestine long after treatment and that several kinds of cells and inflammatory signals can be affected at once.
The findings point to possible treatment targets. Two patients who received a drug that blocks one inflammatory pathway saw improvements in symptoms and intestinal inflammation, although more study is needed.
