Hwasun Jeonnam National University Hospital Launches Latest Immunotherapy 'CAR T'

New Hope for Relapsed Blood Cancer Patients Through Personalized Immunotherapy

Medical staff of the Hematology Department at Hwasun Jeonnam National University Hospital.

Hwasun Jeonnam National University Hospital announced on December 9 that its Hematology Department has officially begun administering the latest immunotherapy, known as CAR T (Chimeric Antigen Receptor T-cell) cell therapy.

CAR T therapy is a personalized immunotherapy in which a patient’s T cells are extracted, genetically engineered to target cancer cells, and then reinfused into the patient.

This treatment has demonstrated groundbreaking efficacy for patients with relapsed or refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) and relapsed or refractory B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL), who do not respond to conventional chemotherapy or hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. As a result, it has attracted global attention. Currently, therapies such as Kymriah are representative CAR T treatments available in Korea.

To ensure safe treatment, Hwasun Jeonnam National University Hospital has established aseptic cell processing facilities and sterile wards, and has standardized the entire process from cell collection, storage, and infusion to side effect management, based on extensive clinical experience with CAR T therapy.

In particular, to address potential side effects such as cytokine release syndrome (CRS) and immune effector cell-associated neurotoxicity syndrome (ICANS) after treatment, a team of specialized medical staff operates a 24-hour monitoring system.

With the introduction of CAR T therapy, Hwasun Jeonnam National University Hospital aims to expand into NK cell therapy and next-generation immunotherapy, with the goal of becoming a regional hub for precision medicine and immunotherapy.

Hospital Director Min Jeongjun stated, "CAR T therapy is an innovative treatment that offers new survival possibilities to patients who have had limited options with existing therapies. We will further advance our treatment system so that local patients can receive cutting-edge cell therapies without having to travel to the Seoul metropolitan area."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.