IACH 2021 | Side effects of CAR T-cell therapy and their management
Anna Sureda, MD, PhD, of the Catalan Institute of Oncology, Barcelona, Spain, outlines the most common side effects that can occur following chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy and explains how they are managed. Cytokine release syndrome (CRS) can occur after CAR T-cell infusion and is caused by an increased activation of T-cells and macrophages leading to a cytokine release, eventually requiring ICU admission. CRS is treated with tocilizumab and corticosteroids. Neurological toxicity is another important characteristic side effect of CAR T-cell therapy that is treated with corticosteroids. Dr Sureda also talks on hematological toxicity, a less common side effect that is managed with platelet and red blood cell transfusions. This interview took place at the 4th Annual Meeting of the International Academy for Clinical Hematology (IACH), which took place virtually in 2021.
