Roger Williams Medical Center’s Blood and Marrow Transplant and Cellular Therapy (BMT) program is proud to announce that KITE Pharmaceutical’s Chimeric Antigen Receptor T-cell (CAR T-cell) therapies for the treatment of certain blood cancers, Yescarta and Tecartus, are now available to the Rhode Island and nearby public. CAR T-cell therapy is different from other cancer treatments because it is made from your own white blood cells, which have been modified to recognize and attack your cancer cells.
These potentially curative cutting-edge therapies treat several blood cancers. Yescarta is indicated for the treatment of two types of adult non-Hodgkin lymphoma: 1. relapsed or refractory large B-cell lymphoma, and 2. relapsed or refractory follicular lymphoma. Tecartus is indicated for the treatment of adults with mantle cell lymphoma or acute lymphoblastic leukemia2.
Dr. Ritesh Rathore, Director of Hematology/Oncology and Acting Director of the Roger Williams Bone Marrow program, said, “We are excited about this partnership which enables us to provide patients with life-threatening blood cancers with a treatment option that can be lifesaving, all within their home state and without having to worry about leaving the vicinity of their home and loved ones.”
In 2020, the BMT program added the Novartis Pharmaceuticals CAR T-cell therapy product, Kymriah to its available treatment regimens. While Kymriah treats similar cancers as those treated by the KITE products, it is important to note that different products indicated for the same cancer treatments are not created equally. Some may work better for some than others, and having multiple options to discuss with healthcare providers is a huge benefit to patients and the success of their treatment.
The BMT program, celebrating its 30th year of caring, is dedicated to providing Rhode Island and nearby residents suffering from difficult cancer diagnoses with the most current and effective treatments available. The program is currently working with another pharmaceutical company to include CAR T-cell therapy for Multiple Myeloma to the available treatment regimens within the next year.
For patient referrals or additional information please contact the BMT Program Manager atalexandra.milhaupt@chartercare.org, or the BMT Transplant Coordinator atdebborah.smith@chartercare.org.
Please see further treatment and important safety profile information at www.yescarta.com and www.tecartus.com.