CAR-T Cell Therapy in Turkey

Highlights

CAR-T cell therapy is a revolutionary treatment used for treating many blood cancers like leukemias and lymphomas.
It is helping many patients to fight cancer when standard treatments like chemotherapy and radiation don’t work.
CAR-T cell therapy is completed in 12-14 days.
The recovery time for the therapy stretches from few weeks to months.
Cytokine release syndrome and Neurological problems are the common risks associated with CAR-T cell therapy.

A healthy and functional immune system is constantly working to remove unwanted foreign elements from our bodies. T cells, a category of lymphocytes, patrol the body and kill any abnormal cell they encounter. T cells are divided into two categories – Cytotoxic and Helper T cells. Cytotoxic (Tc) cells recognize and kill the abnormal cells, whereas Helper (Th) cells support Tc cells in doing their job effectively.

Cytotoxic T cells perform a similar role in eradicating cancer cells from the human body. They target the cancer cell by releasing perforins and granzymes that lead to apoptosis, also known as cell death. This process occurs when T cells recognize specific antigens on cancer cells, represented by type 1 MHC (Major histocompatibility complex). T cell has protein receptors that bind with MHC 1 molecule present on the cancer cell surface to trigger an immune response.

However, in some cases, a cancer cell tends to fool the immune system in one of the following ways:

Disguise itself as a healthy cell
Express multiple antigens on the cell surface to prevent MHC 1 binding
Down-regulate the immune response

These events help a cancer cell to escape cell death initiated by the T cell. As a solution, T cells are now engineered and reprogrammed under lab conditions to express unique protein receptors called Chimeric Antigen Receptors. CAR-T cells are highly specific to the antigens present on a cancerous cell, increasing the chances of cell recognition and apoptosis.

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Why opt for CAR-T Cell therapy in Turkey?

The International Medical Trend Journal (IMTJ) ranks Turkey as the third-best country for medical tourism. Over the last few decades, the country has gained immense popularity for treatments covering various medical conditions and complex surgeries. Common reasons for this trend include:

Accredited hospitals: Turkey is home to some of the finest healthcare centers and hospitals that offer international standard facilities coupled with state-of-the-art infrastructure.
Affordable treatment: Compared to countries like Europe or the US, patients can save as much as 60 to 70% of costs by undergoing the same treatment in Turkey. The hospitals offer a wide range of personalized treatments at affordable prices with no compromise on quality.
Partnerships with prestigious American Hospitals: Many hospitals in Turkey are accredited by US hospitals like Harvard Medical Center or Johns Hopkins and maintain a good working partnership. They also have a dedicated team of skilled and experienced doctors trained in the west.
No waiting time: Developed countries with the best medical facilities and treatments usually have a long list of patients waiting for the same treatment. On the other hand, a patient in Turkey won’t have to wait long after an initial consultation to get the therapy done.
Travel destination: Turkey boasts many natural, cultural, and historical attractions that can easily combine a medical trip with a lovely holiday.

What is the cost of CAR-T cell therapy in Turkey?

The treatment for CAR-T cell therapy in Turkey varies depending on the following factors:

Type and stage of cancer
Type of hospital
Experience of the doctor
Length of stay in the hospital
Post-procedure care and follow-up appointments

How can Lyfboat assist you getting CAR-T Cell Therapy in Turkey?

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Lyfboat is a free advisory platform; we do not charge any fees from patients. In fact, we negotiate the price that Indian hospitals offer. In some cases we are able to reduce the cost by negotiating upto 20% of what Hospitals generally offer. We advise the best treatment from the top hospital/surgeon at best price.

What does CAR-T cell therapy involve?

A patient will be admitted to the hospital for routine and other screening tests to evaluate whether they are eligible for undergoing CAR-T cell therapy or not.
Once the tests are done and the doctor gives the go-ahead, T cells will be collected from the patient’s blood through a process known as leukapheresis. It will last for approximately 2 to 3 hours, and the patient will continue to lie down or rest on a chair.
The collected sample will be sent to the laboratory, where T-cells will be purified and genetically engineered to express CARs. This method involves introducing a genetically altered virus with a CAR gene into the T-cell sample. Once the virus infects the T-cell, the gene will be transcribed and translated to produce CAR proteins.
The modified T-cells are cultured in a suitable medium to divide and form more CAR-T cells. Then, these cells are frozen and sent back to the hospital for infusion.
The patient will be advised to undergo chemotherapy to decrease the number of cancer cells in the body and make space for new ones.
After three days, the doctor will infuse the modified T-cells back into the patient’s body. This procedure takes somewhere around 30 to 40 minutes. These T-cells will repopulate and target the cancer cells for efficient apoptosis.
The recovery time for the therapy stretches from few weeks to months. Therefore, patients should stay near the hospital to keep track of any possible complications or side effects.

What type of cancers can be treated through CAR-T cell therapy in Turkey?

Currently, CAR T-cell therapy is FDA approved for the following conditions:

Name of the treatment	Type	Age Group	Type of Cancer
Axicabtagene ciloleucel (YescartaTM)	CD19-directed genetically modified autologous T cell immunotherapy	Adults (Above 25 years of age)	Relapsed or refractory large B-cell lymphoma Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) Primary mediastinal large B-cell lymphoma, High-grade B-cell lymphoma, and DLBCL arising from follicular lymphoma. Relapsed or refractory follicular lymphoma (FL)
Brexucabtagene autoleucel (Tecartus®)	CD19-directed genetically modified autologous T-cell immunotherapy	Adults (Above 25 years of age)	Relapsed or refractory mantle cell lymphoma (MCL)
Idecabtagene vicleucel (Abecma®)	B-cell maturation antigen (BCMA)-directed genetically modified autologous chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy	Adults (Above 25 years of age)	Relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma
Lisocabtagene maraleucel (Breyanzi®)	CD19-directed genetically modified autologous T-cell immunotherapy	Adults (Above 25 years of age)	Relapsed or refractory large B-cell lymphoma Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) High-grade B-cell lymphoma Primary mediastinal large B-cell lymphoma Follicular lymphoma, grade 3B.
Tisagenlecleucel (KymriahTM)	CD19-directed genetically modified autologous T cell immunotherapy	Patients up to 25 years of age	Relapsed and refractory B-cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) Relapsed or refractory large B-cell lymphoma Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) High-grade B-cell lymphoma DLBCL arising from follicular lymphoma.
Tocilizumab (Actemra®)	Interleukin-6 (IL-6) receptor	Adults + Children (2 years or above)	CAR-T cell-induced severe or life-threatening Cytokine release syndrome (CRS).

What are the different risks associated with CAR-T cell therapy?

It’s uncommon for patients to suffer hair loss, nausea, and vomiting due to chemotherapy. However, there are several other risks associated with CAR-T cell therapy.

Cytokine release syndrome: Activated T cells secrete cytokines that play a vital role in the apoptosis of cancer cells. In some instances, the overproduction of these cytokines ramps up the immune system, causing mild to severe symptoms.
Macrophage activation syndrome: Cytokines act as a messenger to activate macrophages. Overproduction of cytokines leads to excessive activation of macrophages. It is more common in autoimmune or rheumatic disorders.
Tumor Lysis Syndrome: TLS is marked by a set of metabolic complications occurring due to the breakdown of dead cancer cells. The symptoms of the condition appear after a month of therapy.
Neurological problems: CAR-T cell therapy can also cause language impairment, delirium, involuntary muscle twitching, hallucinations, seizures, and unresponsiveness.

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Written By Simran Bahia

Simran Bahia is an experienced content writer with extensive research experience in Immunology and Reproductive Biology. Simran received her Bachelors in Life Sciences from Delhi University, followed by a Master's in Immunology from the Amity Institute of Virology and Immunology. Combining her love for science and writing, Simran enjoys putting a spin on standard methods of medical writing.

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Verified By Dr. Surbhi Suden

Dr. Surbhi Suden is one of the founders of Lyfboat and a doctor with a renowned name in the Medical tourism industry. She has been working with international patients since 2008 and is a deeply committed professional with a long term vision of transforming the current healthcare scenarios.

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