Ongoing Monitoring, Medications, and Life After Treatment
For the first month after infusion, you will have at least weekly appointments to check blood counts and manage any side effects.
If you received your therapy in an outpatient clinic:
- In the first 7 to 10 days, you may have daily visits
- After 30 days, most patients transition to monthly visits, with adjustments depending on your health.
- Long-term follow-up is required for up to 15 years, typically once a year.
You may also have visits with your local oncology team between appointments. Your care team may prescribe medications to prevent infections, manage nausea or seizures, and you might need blood transfusions if your counts are low. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommends that patients avoid driving for 60 days due to potential neurologic issues. Vaccinations and returning to work should be discussed with your care team, as timing varies for each person.
For CAR-T therapy, vaccination should ideally be given between 2 to 4 weeks before. Not all vaccines should be administered after CAR-T since some live virus, and can compromise the weakened immune system.
Review the most recent vaccination guidelines here.