What is T cell therapy for B cell Lymphoma in Dogs?
T cell therapy refers to a type of cancer treatment that harnesses the power of the immune system to help in the combat against cancer. In the case of B cell lymphoma, immune cells are collected, selected, expanded and activated to ignite an immune attack on the cancer cells. Recruiting the patients’ own T cells to attack the tumor is a revolutionary approach to combat lymphoma.
How can we help your pet?
If your dog has been diagnosed with B cell lymphoma and it has been determined that they might benefit from immunotherapy, Adoptive T cell Therapy might be an option in the battle against the cancer. Adoptive T cell therapy is thought to be most effective after the first round of chemotherapy and when the patient is in remission.
What is the process?
Once it has been decided that your dog is good candidate for immunotherapy and has met the inclusion criteria, the activated T cell therapy process can begin.
Step 1. Your regular veterinarian must prescribe the T cell therapy by contacting us and giving us the medical history along with other important information.
Step 2. The informed consent form must be filled out and on file in our records.
Step 3. Your veterinarian will collect and submit a blood sample to our laboratory.
Step 4. Once the sample arrives and passes the quality check for culture, the T cells are isolated and are started the culture is started.
Step 5. The culture process generally takes three weeks, but it can vary. During this time the veterinarian and the owner are kept updated in order to plan for the infusion date.
Step 6. 24 to 48 hours prior to the planned infusion, the patient is given a single oral dose of chemotherapy to prepare for the infusion.
Step 7. The activated T cells are shipped overnight to your veterinarian who will infuse them intravenously through a catheter. It is best for the patient to remain at the hospital for a few hours after the infusion to be monitored for any adverse events.