Summary & Frequently Asked Questions
CAR T-Cell Therapy in Australia: A Quick Recap
CAR T-cell therapy is a type of cancer treatment that uses your own immune system to fight some subtypes of B-cell Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma. It was first approved in Australia in 2018 and is publicly funded for eligible patients.
What is it?
- CAR T-cell therapy stands for Chimeric Antigen Receptor T-cell therapy.
- It uses your own T-cells, collected from your blood. Scientists then add a CAR to the T-cell to help it find and fight lymphoma.
- These CAR T-cells are returned to your body through an infusion. The process is like a blood transfusion.
Who can have it?
It’s used for people whose lymphoma hasn’t responded to other treatments or has come back (relapsed or refractory).
There are currently 3 funded CAR T-cell products in Australia:
- Yescarta™ for eligible people with Large B-cell and Follicular Lymphoma
- Tecartus™ for eligible people with Mantle Cell Lymphoma and Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia (ALL)
- Kymriah™ for eligible children/young adults with ALL and adults with Diffuse Large B-cell Lymphoma (DLBCL)
Where is it available?
- Treatment is only available at specialist hospitals in some states.
- You may need to travel and stay near the hospital for up to 8 weeks.
- Support is available for travel, accommodation, and carer needs within Australia.
What are the side effects?
CAR T-cell therapy is powerful and can cause side-effects:
- Mild: Tiredness, nausea, headache, loss of appetite
- Serious:
- CRS (Cytokine Release Syndrome): Fever, low blood pressure, breathing problems
- ICANS: Confusion, speech problems, seizures
- TLS (Tumour Lysis Syndrome): Kidney strain, muscle cramps, high blood levels of waste products.
- Some effects may happen weeks or months later, like infections, hormone changes, or low blood counts.
Always call your healthcare team if anything feels wrong. Early action makes a big difference.
What are the side effects?
CAR T-cell therapy is powerful and can cause side-effects:
- Mild: Tiredness, nausea, headache, loss of appetite
- Serious:
- CRS (Cytokine Release Syndrome): Fever, low blood pressure, breathing problems
- ICANS: Confusion, speech problems, seizures
- TLS (Tumour Lysis Syndrome): Kidney strain, muscle cramps, high blood levels of waste products.
- Some effects may happen weeks or months later, like infections, hormone changes, or low blood counts.
Always call your healthcare team if anything feels wrong. Early action makes a big difference.
What About Clinical Trials?
- Clinical trials are testing new targets, earlier use, and more lymphoma subtypes.
- Some are available in Australia; others may be overseas.
- Talk to your doctor to see if a clinical trial is right for you or your child.
Need Help or Want to Take Action?
Lymphoma Australia is working hard to expand access across all states.
If your state doesn’t offer CAR T-cell therapy, contact your local MP using our template letter.
You are not alone. For support, clinical trial info, or questions:
Call our nurses on 1800 953 081
Email: nurse@lymphoma.org.au
