A new treatment that fights cancer cells: Let's learn about Brexucabtagene Autoleucel?

It is difficult to put into words what it feels like to be diagnosed with cancer. However, with the advancement of medical science, there are many advanced treatments available today to fight cancer. Today we are going to talk about one such new, special treatment. This is a wonderful method that uses your own cells to destroy cancer cells.

What is this Brexucabtagene Autoleucel?

The name may sound a bit complicated, but to put it simply, this is a special medicine used to treat types of cancer like leukemia and lymphoma . But this is not a pill that we usually take or an injection that we get. This is much different than that.

Imagine, we have a defense army in our body. We call it the immune system . The soldiers (immune cells) in this army are the ones who fight the germs that cause diseases. In this treatment, you take some of these defense soldiers (cells) from your own body, give them special training, teach them to recognize and attack cancer cells, and then put them back into your body. In medicine, this is called CAR T-cell therapy . That is, this treatment uses your own immune system to help stop or reduce the spread of cancer cells.

Things to tell your doctor before starting treatment

Since this is a very specific treatment, it is essential that your doctor is aware of your complete health condition before you start it. Therefore, if you have any of the following conditions, be sure to tell your doctor about them.

• Heart disease: If you have heart disease.
• Infections: Any current infectious conditions.
• Inflammatory disorders: About inflammatory conditions in the body.
• Kidney or liver disease: If there is any problem with the kidneys or liver.
• Lung or respiratory disease: Breathing difficulties such as asthma or COPD.
• Nervous system problems: If you have had seizures before, if you have had a stroke, or if you have memory problems.
• Vaccinations: If you have recently received any vaccinations, or are planning to receive them in the future.
• Allergies: If you have an allergic reaction to this medicine or any other medicine, food, or dye.
• Pregnancy: If you are pregnant, or trying to get pregnant.
• If you are a nursing mother: If you are breastfeeding your baby.

This information will greatly help your doctor decide how appropriate and safe the treatment is for you.

How is this treatment given?

This is not something that can be done at home. The entire process takes place in a hospital or clinic, under the close supervision of a medical team.

Simply put, this happens in a few steps:

1. Cell collection: First, blood is taken from a vein in your arm, connected to a special machine, and immune cells (T-cells) are separated from your blood. This can take several weeks.

2. Cell modification: Then, your own isolated immune cells are sent to a specialized lab, where they are genetically modified and "trained" to recognize and attack cancer cells.

3. Preparation: A few days before these trained cells are given back to your body, you will be given a low-dose chemotherapy. Don't worry, this will help reduce the number of other immune cells in your body and create the environment for the new trained cells to work well.

4. Re-introduction of cells: Finally, the cells that were trained in the lab are re-infused into your body through a vein (infusion) like saline.

Before your treatment, you will be given a special information leaflet (`MedGuide`). It is very important to read and understand it carefully.

Things to consider during and after treatment

After treatment, your condition will be monitored very closely by the medical team.

• Hospital observation: After the cells are infused into your body, you will be kept under close observation by hospital doctors for at least 7 days .
• Avoid driving: This treatment may affect your concentration, decision-making ability, and balance. Therefore, avoid driving or operating machinery until you know exactly how this medicine affects you. Stand up and sit down frequently to reduce dizziness and lightheadedness.
• Patient Wallet Card: You will be given a special card. It is mandatory to keep this with you at all times. Show this card when you see any doctor. It contains details about the symptoms of serious side effects that may occur due to this treatment.
• Protect yourself from infections:This treatment can weaken your immune system, which increases your risk of developing infections. If you develop symptoms such as fever, chills, sore throat, or runny nose, do not self-medicate and call your healthcare team immediately for advice. Minimize your exposure to sick people.
• Avoid blood and organ donation: This is very important. After receiving this treatment, you should not donate blood, organs, tissues, or cells for the rest of your life.
• Risk of other cancers: Taking this treatment may slightly increase your risk of developing certain other types of cancer in the future. Talk to your doctor about this.

What are the possible side effects?

As with any treatment, there are potential side effects. Some of them can be serious, so it's important to be aware of them.

This list does not include all possible side effects. If you notice anything unusual, do not hesitate to ask your doctor about it.

Can there be problems with other medications?

Yes. In particular, do not receive this treatment with live virus vaccines . Also, give your doctor a complete list of all the medicines you use (including vitamins, herbal medicines, and supplements) . Also tell your doctor if you smoke or drink alcohol.

Since this is a hospital-based treatment, there is no chance of overdose. However, if you experience any unusual or severe symptoms, go to the Emergency Treatment Unit (ETU) immediately. If necessary, you can also call the National Poisons Information Centre at the Colombo National Hospital .