Name

CAR-T

This definition applies to

All SEER websites where this term appears

Definition

A type of treatment in which a patient's T cells (a type of immune system cell) are changed in the laboratory so they will attack cancer cells. T cells are taken from a patient’s blood. Then the gene for a special receptor that binds to a certain protein on the patient’s cancer cells is added in the laboratory. The special receptor is called a chimeric antigen receptor (CAR). Large numbers of the CAR T cells are grown in the laboratory and given to the patient by infusion. CAR T-cell therapy is being studied in the treatment of some types of cancer. Also called chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy.

Resource

Title: National Cancer Institute

Alternate Names

Abstractor Notes

None

Histology

Leukemia

Primary Sites

None
Glossary