On February 8th, DLBCL specialist Dr. Elif Yilmaz from UT Southwestern Medical Center joined HealthTree for a webinar about treatment options for relapsed/refractory DLBCL. Watch her full presentation below, along with summaries of key discussion points.
Relapsed/Refractory DLBCL
- The majority of non-Hodgkin lymphomas arise from T lymphocytes or B lymphocytes. B lymphocyte lymphomas can range from indolent (slow-growing) to highly aggressive.
- Relapsed disease is when the cancer returns within 12 months following therapy. Refractory disease is when the cancer does not achieve remission while on treatment or worsens while on treatment.
- For patients who have tried 2-3 lines of treatment and still relapsed, considering a clinical trial is strongly encouraged.
- Relapsed/refractory DLBCL is still curable in about 30-40% of patients.
CAR T Cell Therapy
- CAR T cell therapy and stem cell transplants are the most common treatments for the relapsed/refractory DLBCL patient population.
- CAR T cell therapy is done by collecting the patient’s T-cells, sending them to a manufacturer who alters them, and then T cells are returned to the patient’s body.
- CAR T cell therapy is still somewhat new and very expensive. Medicaid does not cover CAR T cell therapy and Medicare requires supplemental insurance. However, large academic centers have financial assistance programs that may help with the cost.
Stem Cell Transplants
- Autologous stem cell transplantation is done by collecting stem cells from the patient. The cells are sent to a lab while the patient undergoes conditioning chemotherapy, then the stem cells are returned to the body.
- Allogeneic stem cell transplantation is similar to autologous stem cell transplantation except that it uses stem cells from a donor match.
At the end of the webinar, Dr. Yilmaz shared an important comment about experiencing anxiety during and after treatment. Relapse is a valid fear for DLBCL patients and Dr. Yilmaz recommends that patients seek psychotherapy to help with this anxiety.
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