Looking Back at CAR T: PROs From a Patient's Perspective

Article

A survivor of chronic lymphocytic leukemia who participated in the first chimeric antigen receptor T-cell trial in 2010 looks back at his experience and also discusses his views on how patient-reported outcomes (PROs) should be used, if at all, by CMS.

There are 2 approved chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapies on the market for patients with advanced leukemias and lymphomas, Novartis’ tisagenlecleucel (Kymriah) and Kite Pharma/Gilead’s axicabtagene ciloleucel (Yescarta). These immunotherapies are revolutionizing cancer treatment, albeit at great cost.

Doug Olson, a survivor of chronic lymphocytic leukemia, participated in the first CAR T trial in 2010, and joined a recent meeting of the Medicare Evidence Development and Coverage Advisory Committee convened by CMS to discuss how patient-reported outcomes (PROs) should be used, if at all, in any future coverage decisions.

He discussed his experience with CAR T, and his thoughts about PROs and costs, in a podcast after the meeting.

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Listen above or through one of these podcast services:

MEDCAC Panel Mostly Endorses PROs for CAR T Therapies

Many Questions to Ask in Setting National Coverage for CAR T Therapies

NCCN Report on CAR T-Cell Therapy, Recommendations for Future Use

With Approval of CAR T-Cell Therapy Comes the Next Challenge: Payer Coverage

Learn more about CAR T:

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