Multiple Myeloma Therapy From China
Multiple Myeloma Therapy From China
When All Treatment Options Were Exhausted, Cancer Rapidly Progressed, and the Doctor Regretfully Said That Ms. M Did Not Respond to Any Medication.
This situation could only lead to end-of-life care, meaning Ms. M had no chance to fight this disease anymore, and her life was counting down. Fortunately, Ms. M’s family found a new hope in China – CAR-T cell therapy. Ms. M came to China accompanied by her family and received fully human BCMA CAR-T cell treatment. After only 22 days, her body tumors miraculously disappeared, achieving a complete response (CR), giving Ms. M a new lease on life!
(Note: To protect patient privacy, pseudonyms are used, and the medical condition and treatment process have been slightly redacted)
Fighting for Love! “Cure” for a New Life
The story of a terminal multiple myeloma patient from Thailand, whose life was counting down after all treatment options failed, and who miraculously regained life after receiving CAR-T cell therapy in China.
I. The Overlooked Pain Turned Out to Be Malignant Multiple Myeloma
Before the summer of 2017, 58-year-old Ms. M’s life was blissful and happy. She and her husband ran a sizable adhesive factory in Thailand, and her daughter was an excellent student at the university. During holidays, the family of three would travel around the world, enjoying their time together. However, the expected continuation of this happiness was paused in July 2021…
In June 2021, Ms. M had persistent back pain for over a month, initially thought to be due to overwork, but the pain only intensified, to the point where she could not get out of bed. Her family immediately took Ms. M to the hospital for a detailed examination, and she was diagnosed with multiple myeloma. The doctor said it was a malignant plasma cell blood cancer, and although there were available treatment options, relapse and drug resistance were inevitable. At that moment, the entire family was plunged into darkness…
Ms. M’s daughter recalled in an interview: “Everyone felt very anxious when we learned that our mother was diagnosed with cancer. I couldn’t bear the thought of my mom not being able to witness my graduation, my wedding, or the birth of her grandchildren…”
Ms. M’s daughter
II. All Treatment Options Exhausted, Reaching a Dead End
To quickly control the condition, Ms. M received three cycles of treatment at the best hospital in Thailand; in October 2021, she started maintenance therapy; in January 2023, she underwent autologous stem cell transplantation; and in April 2023, she achieved a partial response. At this time, her daughter had also graduated and found her dream job, and everything seemed to be heading in a positive direction.
However, the good times did not last long, and Ms. M’s condition soon relapsed, leading her to receive a series of treatment regimens. Unfortunately, this time, Ms. M did not respond to any of the treatment options, and in June 2023, the local doctors told Ms. M’s family that aside from palliative care, they were out of options, meaning that Ms. M’s life was counting down!
Ms. M’s daughter said: “At that time, I had a precious opportunity to study abroad, and I had already obtained a work visa and even booked my tickets. I had everything prepared and was ready to leave. But in the end, I realized that my mom’s condition was progressing very quickly and severely. So, at the last minute, I canceled everything. Because I needed to choose my mother over my dream, and I still had time to pursue my dream. But now, the person who had shielded me from wind and rain, nurturing me as I grew up, needed me to protect her! My family and I had to stand by her side and fight the demon together!”
III. Declaring War on Cancer, CAR-T Brings New Hope for Survival
Ms. M’s family began seeking medical help everywhere and searching online for any hope of prolonging her life. When Ms. M’s daughter learned about CAR-T cell therapy, she saw a glimmer of hope. She conducted extensive research on the CAR-T cell therapies that had already been approved globally and eventually learned that China had made tremendous achievements in the field of CAR-T cell therapy, not only conducting the most clinical trials globally but also, fortunately, just as Ms. M was at the end of her rope, the BCMA CAR-T cell therapy was shockingly approved in China on June 30, 2023. The timely arrival of this therapy became a lifeline for Ms. M.
Ms. M’s daughter saw in the literature that CAR-T cell therapy had exceptional data in the Asian population and also showed good treatment effects for multi-line relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma patients. Ms. M and her family decided to seek treatment in China.
IV. Crossing the Ocean to China, Where the Medical Team Devised a New Treatment Plan
When Ms. M and her family arrived in China, a completely unfamiliar yet hopeful land, they encountered many obstacles: Which hospital should they go to? How would they communicate with the language barrier? How would they pay for the treatment? And so on…
When they arrived at Shanghai Tongji Hospital and met Professor Li Ping for the first time, all their concerns dissipated. Professor Li was highly experienced, sharing a wealth of research and patient case histories, giving Ms. M complete confidence.
What deeply touched Ms. M and her family was that every member of this team was highly professional and passionate, from the pharmacy staff to the biotech company personnel, and even the bank staff. They helped remove all the obstacles encountered, dispelling Ms. M’s concerns about nationality, culture, language, payment, and services, making her feel completely at ease throughout the process, with everyone doing their utmost to provide the greatest support.
In September 2023, after a detailed understanding of Ms. M’s condition and thorough examinations, Professor Li consulted with multiple renowned experts, and they ultimately determined that an individualized BCMA CAR-T cell therapy regimen would provide the greatest benefit.
In an interview, Professor Li said: “Ms. M’s disease had reached an advanced stage, and she also had some biological features associated with poor prognosis, including the 1Q21 abnormality. PET-CT also revealed extramedullary lesions, so conventional treatment would certainly be ineffective.”
“Current data shows that CAR-T cell therapy has excellent efficacy and long-term survival in these multi-line relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma patients. Previous data has shown an sCR/CR rate of 82.4%1 (in 91 previously untreated RRMM patients with CAR-T and multi-line relapse). The latest data from ASH 2023 showed that the MRD negativity rate in these 91 patients reached 97.8%2, meaning most enrolled patients achieved tumor-free survival.”
“Furthermore, the main advantage of CAR-T cell therapy is that it can reduce the need for repeated consolidation or maintenance therapy. A single infusion can achieve an excellent effect, significantly improving the patient’s quality of life and enabling them to return to normal life more quickly and easily.”
Professor Li Ping, Department of Hematology, Shanghai Tongji Hospital
V. Tumors Completely Disappeared in 22 Days! CAR-T Cell Therapy Creates a Survival Miracle
On September 8, 2023, Ms. M finally received her last lifeline and officially entered the CAR-T cell therapy process.
After all the required examinations were met, she first underwent leukapheresis.
Hope was within reach, but Ms. M’s physical condition continued to deteriorate, with cancer cells rapidly devouring her increasingly frail body, and the left pleural cavity was also infiltrated by cancer cells. During this time, the doctors used various regimens to slow the spread of cancer, while a dedicated “custom-made” production line was manufacturing a precise killing weapon for Ms. M, with everyone racing against time to outpace death.
On September 11, 2023, bridging therapy began;
On September 24, local radiotherapy was given to alleviate bone pain;
From October 9-12, fludarabine and cyclophosphamide were administered for lymphodepleting chemotherapy;
Finally, on October 14, 2023, the CAR-T cells carrying the hope of Ms. M’s entire family were delivered to her bedside by the pharmacy team via professional cold-chain logistics. After layers of inspection, unpacking, and resuscitation, a small bag of milky-white liquid containing billions of “special” T cells precisely targeting multiple myeloma was infused into Ms. M’s body. The doctor said that once inside, these cells would initiate a frenzied sweeping mode, killing every last cancer cell.
Mrs. M’s Condition Seemed Dire, but Then a Miracle Occurred
During the reinfusion process, Mrs. M’s condition was extremely feeble, as if all her energy had been drained, leaving only a flicker of life supporting her. No one had high hopes for a miracle at that time; they simply wished for a reduction in Mrs. M’s suffering.
The reinfusion process was swift, with a small bag of liquid fully entering Mrs. M’s body within a few minutes. Afterward, she was closely monitored under a laminar flow hood.
On the fifth day after the CAR-T reinfusion, Mrs. M developed a fever, reaching a maximum of 39.4°C (102.9°F). The doctor said this was a positive sign, indicating that the CAR-T cells were taking effect within her body. Indeed, Mrs. M showed evident improvement within about a week, although she also experienced cytokine release syndrome (CRS), a common side effect of CAR-T therapy. However, the medical team at Tongji Hospital had extensive experience with this, and after symptomatic treatment, her condition improved, with her temperature returning to normal on the 9th day.
What left everyone astonished was the examination result 22 days after the CAR-T treatment, which showed that Mrs. M had achieved complete hematological remission (CR). This meant that no cancer cells could be detected in her blood, and her pain and anemia had been reversed. It was nothing short of a miracle!
Mrs. M’s daughter exclaimed excitedly, “When we first came to China, my mother had already lost 10 pounds due to the ravages of her illness. She was in so much pain that she couldn’t move or eat anything. No matter how hard we tried to prepare food for her, she couldn’t swallow it. Even morphine couldn’t alleviate her suffering – these vivid memories of her agony seem like they were just yesterday. My family and I simply couldn’t believe that a miracle had truly occurred. After receiving the CAR-T therapy, my mother began to recover rapidly. Within just a week, her pain had almost disappeared, and she could stand for long periods and even engage in her favorite activities.”
Epilogue: Continued Happiness
Now, every day is precious for Mrs. M. She can go shopping, chat, and enjoy meals with her family, and travel to various parts of the world – everything has returned to the joyful times before her illness. The only difference is that Mrs. M and her family have a fixed destination they visit every month: Shanghai, China. They have grown accustomed to hearing the sacred proclamation from the doctors here that her body is cancer-free, and her remission continues.
Mrs. M said gratefully, “I feel really good now, like I’ve been reborn. Thank you to the CAR-T cell therapy, thank you to Tongji Hospital, and thank you to China, this miraculous land that has given me a new lease on life.”
Mrs. M and her daughter
When interviewed, Dr. Liang Aibin, president of Shanghai Tongji Hospital, remarked, “The patient’s success demonstrates that our assessment of her eligibility for the treatment was highly accurate, and our selection of the treatment plan for the patient, the timing of the CAR-T infusion, and the management of complications and follow-up after the infusion were all highly standardized.
I believe that with the success of CAR-T, an increasing number of overseas patients will be able to receive highly effective treatments in China. Tongji Hospital has also established an International Medical Department to facilitate communication between departments, patients, and overseas doctors, providing patients with more timely, convenient, attentive, and efficient medical services.”
Dr. Liang Aibin, Vice President of Shanghai Tongji Hospital
This is a microcosm of countless cancer patients’ victories over the disease. The advent of CAR-T cell therapy has brought new hope to cancer patients. Undoubtedly, in the future, more patients will regain their lives, just like Mrs. M.
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