Breakthrough Alert!  Bringing New Hope to Relapsed and Refractory Multiple Myeloma Patients

Breakthrough Alert!  Bringing New Hope to Relapsed and Refractory Multiple Myeloma Patients

Multiple Myeloma

   A recent milestone at the First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University in China marks a groundbreaking achievement in the treatment of relapsed and refractory multiple myeloma (R/RMM). Professor Li Juan and her team from the Hematology Department have successfully conducted the hospital’s inaugural Chimeric Antigen Receptor T-Cell Immunotherapy (CAR-T) for this challenging condition, ushering in a new era of treatment prospects for R/RMM patients.

    Relapsed and refractory stages are often unavoidable in the progression of Multiple Myeloma, with limited treatment options and poor prognoses for patients upon entry into this phase. CAR-T therapy, a novel precision-targeted approach in cancer treatment, involves genetically engineering T-cells to restore their functionality, effectively targeting tumors with remarkable precision, speed, and efficiency. Both domestic and international studies have shown promising results for CAR-T therapy in R/RMM patients, making it one of the most effective treatments available for this condition.

     The first patient to undergo CAR-T therapy at our hospital was a 42-year-old male diagnosed with multiple myeloma two years prior at another medical institution. After undergoing conventional treatments for a period, including autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, his disease unfortunately relapsed nine months post-transplant. Despite immediate intervention by experts, the disease was only briefly controlled, and the patient’s prognosis declined rapidly as he entered the refractory stage, with an estimated survival period of less than 20 months.

    With the approval of China’s first CAR-T BCMA multiple myeloma product, FUCASO, the patient and his family, after thorough consultations with healthcare professionals, opted for CAR-T therapy. Prior to treatment, the hematology team meticulously discussed potential complications and collaborated with relevant departments to establish comprehensive contingency plans. Following rigorous screening, lymphocyte collection, CAR-T cell preparation, and infusion, the patient smoothly progressed through the CAR-T cell infusion stage as planned.

     By the third week post-infusion, the patient experienced gradual relief from rib pain. On the 28th day post-infusion, bone marrow examination revealed no myeloma cells, and related indicators along with a full-body PET/CT scan indicated negativity for extramedullary lesions, showcasing significant treatment efficacy. The patient was successfully discharged, marking a triumphant milestone in his journey towards recovery.

     According to experts, with the continuous refinement of national guidelines for CAR-T cell therapy, the formal introduction of China’s first CAR-T product for myeloma treatment offers promising prospects for extending the survival period of domestic patients with refractory and relapsed multiple myeloma.

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