2023 was a significant year for cancer patients in Hawai‘i. A new groundbreaking treatment became available for the first time, thanks to a partnership between Hawai‘i Pacific Health and the University of Hawai‘i Cancer Center. It means new hope for some of the sickest adults and children right here at home.

Chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy, or CAR T-cell therapy, utilizes a person’s own immune cells to fight cancer. The process starts by collecting a patient’s blood. The immune cells, or T-cells, are genetically modified in a laboratory to recognize specific markers on the tumor. The modified cells are infused back into the patient to attack and destroy the cancer.

The revolutionary treatment has several benefits. Unlike traditional chemotherapy, CAR T-cell therapy works by selectively targeting specific markers on tumor cells, therefore sparing patients the non-specific side effects of cancer treatment such as hair loss, nausea, mouth sores and more. In addition, instead of months of chemotherapy, surgery and radiation, the infusion takes several minutes.

“CAR T-cell therapy has truly revolutionized the cancer treatment landscape,” says Dr. Stephanie Si Lim. The Kapi‘olani Medical Center for Women & Children pediatric hematologist/oncologist leads the HPH and UH partnership as the medical director of HPH’s cellular immunotherapy program and an assistant researcher at the UH Cancer Center.

“It has treated and cured the most difficult-to-treat cancers, and because of its unique mechanism of action, this therapy is often better tolerated by patients,” Dr. Si Lim says. “We are excited to offer this lifesaving therapy here in Hawai‘i so that we can continue to provide the best care for our community.”

Dr. Craig Boddy, HPH chief of oncology, has two Straub Medical Center patients who had been battling cancer for years. After receiving the new therapy, both are now in remission.

“It’s a life-changing therapy,” Dr. Boddy says. “Offering it in Hawai‘i makes it easier and more feasible for patients to receive treatment, not only geographically, but in terms of support. Instead of having to go to the mainland for two months or more with a caregiver, they can have their family, their friends, and their ‘ohana here with them.”

HPH’s and UH’s CAR T-cell therapy program is currently for children and adults with B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia and adults with B-cell lymphoma, with plans to soon expand to other blood cancers, including multiple myeloma. The collaboration hopes to bring even more life-saving treatments and innovative clinical trials to Hawai‘i in the future.

Give2Kapiolani.org, Give2Straub.org