Newswise — ROCHESTER, Minn. — Approximately 620,000 new cases of lymphoma were diagnosed worldwide, according  to a 2020 World Cancer Research Fund International report . Survival rates have improved as treatment advances such as T-cell therapy with chimeric antigen receptors . 

Chimeric Antigen Receptor T-Cell Therapy is  a personalized treatment that gives hope to patients diagnosed with various lymphomas. 

"Lymphoma, in simple terms, is essentially a cancer of the immune system," says  Madiha Iqbal ,  MD, a Mayo Clinic hematologist  -  oncologist . 

Newly diagnosed lymphoma patients   are offered a combination of chemotherapy and antibody-based treatments. But for those who do not respond to two or more lines of these treatments, chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy may be an option. 

"Before the advent of CAR T-cell therapy, patients who had not responded to two lines of chemotherapy had a very poor survival of about six months," says Dr. Iqbal. 

Chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy can last a few weeks, as the patient's T cells, which normally help fight infection, are harvested and genetically engineered to target the lymphoma.  

Following a low dose of chemotherapy, the modified cells are infused back into the patient. These cells can then attack and destroy the lymphoma. 

"Patients who had a very poor prognosis can now potentially be cured of their disease," says Dr. Iqbal. 

Journalists: Broadcast-quality video is available in the downloads at the end of the English post . Remember to thank the "Mayo Clinic Information Network."   

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