Our Cellular Therapies Program at Dana-Farber Brigham Cancer Center builds on our expertise in stem cell transplantation. Cellular therapies are designed to improve the immune system's ability to fight cancer. Manufacturing them involves collecting a specific set of cells from the blood, modifying them to produce a more vigorous attack on a patient's cancer cells, and then reinjecting them into the patient. Cells are processed at an outside commercial facility or at the Connell and O'Reilly Families Cell Manipulation Core Facility, which has long been at the forefront of producing cell-based therapies for cancer and other diseases.
Many types of cellular therapy for cancer are being explored, including CAR T cells, other genetically modified T cells, tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL), vaccines, gene therapy, and NK cells.
On This Page:
Commercial CAR T-Cell Therapy
CAR T-cell therapy is an innovative treatment that programs the immune system to attack cancer. We offer all commercial CAR T-cell therapies that have been approved for:
- Aggressive relapsed or refractory large B-cell lymphoma, including diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), primary mediastinal B-cell lymphoma, high-grade B-cell lymphoma, and transformed follicular lymphoma
- Relapsed or refractory mantle cell lymphoma
- Relapsed or refractory follicular lymphoma
- Relapsed of refractory chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) or small lymphocytic lymphoma (SLL)
- Relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma
- Relapsed or refractory B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL)
We also offer several CAR T-cell therapy clinical trials for several types of blood cancers and for patients at various stages of treatment.
Preparing Patients for CAR T-Cell Therapy
While CAR T-cell therapy is a promising treatment, it is also a complex, lengthy process with the risk of serious side effects. Our team works collaboratively with referring oncologists after CAR T-cell therapy. We provide guidance on what to watch for and recommended follow-up care. To monitor the long-term effectiveness of CAR T-cell therapy, patients will require follow-up care for up to 15 years.
Learn more about CAR T-cell therapy eligibility, treatment process, side effects, and recovery.
Refer a Patient
Call 877-442-3324 to discuss if CAR T-cell therapy is right for your patient. See our referral timing guide for detailed recommendations by disease type. Early referral for evaluation is recommended.
Commercial TIL Therapy
Tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL) therapy is a type of cell therapy treatment for cancer where white blood cells known as TILs are removed from a patient's tumor, multiplied in a lab, and then infused back into the patient to fight the cancer.
Currently, TIL therapy is approved for melanoma that has relapsed or not responded after one prior line of treatment.
Preparing Patients for TIL Therapy
TIL therapy involves many steps. Our team is here to support your patient at every stage of treatment. Our team works collaboratively with referring oncologists after TIL therapy. We provide guidance on what to watch for and recommended follow-up care. To monitor the long-term effectiveness of TIL therapy, patients will require follow-up care for a period of time.
Learn more about TIL therapy eligibility, treatment process, side effects, and recovery.
Refer a Patient
Call 877-442-3324 to discuss if TIL therapy is right for your patient. Early referral for evaluation is recommended.
Services for International Patients
For international patients who require complex and advanced care such as stem cell transplantation, we offer exceptional medical care and support services, including:
- Remote consults and online second opinions to evaluate a diagnosis or recommended treatment plans/options
- Access to the latest diagnostics, such as molecular and genomic profiling, including the Rapid Heme Panel, which was developed by our scientists to rapidly detect key mutations that are important for developing timely treatment plans.
- Assistance with travel, housing, transportation and other logistics, such as travel visas, medical records transfer, financial estimates, and billing
- Patient navigators who accompany patients to appointments
- Interpreter services
- Extensive patient education materials in print, online, and video formats, many of which are translated for non-English speaking patients and caregivers
- Nutrition services, with attention to special dietary needs
- Dedicated social work resources
- Post-treatment care, consultation, and coordination with physicians, sharing post-discharge care guidelines that outline recommended testing, symptoms to monitor, re-immunizations, and more – all to help you care for your returning patients
- Learn more about our services for international patients