Cell Therapy

a doctor injecting t cells into a patient

Cell therapy is changing how doctors care for cancer. At the Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center (HICCC) at Columbia University and NewYork-Presbyterian, we offer advanced cell therapies that use a patient’s own immune cells - or donor cells engineered in the lab - to find and destroy cancer with precision.

As a National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center, the HICCC brings together leading experts in cancer care, cell therapy, immunotherapy, bone marrow transplantation, and cancer research. Our physicians and scientists work side-by-side to deliver today's most advanced treatments while developing tomorrow's breakthroughs. 

Our program offers a full spectrum of cell therapies, including: 

Why choose cell therapy at Columbia?

  • Nationally recognized expertise. Our cell therapy team has years of experience and are leaders in the field. Our program is accredited by the Foundation for the Accreditation of Cellular Therapy (FACT), and we administer all FDA approved products. 
  • Your own specialized care team. Cell therapy requires highly specialized care before, during, and after treatment. At Columbia, you'll be supported by a dedicated team of physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, nurses, pharmacists, social workers, and other specialists with expertise in cell therapy. Our low nurse-to-patient ratios allow us to provide personalized care and close monitoring throughout your treatment journey. You will receive care in our dedicated inpatient unit for transplant and cell therapy, featuring private rooms designed to provide a comfortable and supportive environment throughout your stay. 
  • Getting cell therapy from the leaders in the field. Columbia has played a pioneering role in advancing the field of cellular immunotherapy. Through the Columbia Institute in Cell Engineering and Therapy (CICET), founded by cell therapy pioneer Michel Sadelain, our researchers are developing innovative approaches to immune cell engineering and helping shape the future of cancer treatment. 
  • Access to the newest cell therapies. In addition to FDA-approved therapies, some patients may choose to enroll in clinical trials evaluating new and cutting-edge cell therapies. Our physicians lead and participate in clinical trials that bring promising new treatments directly to patients. 
  • Onsite cell manufacturing and research. Few cancer centers offer the integrated research infrastructure available at Columbia. Our onsite Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) Facility and Cellular Immunotherapy Laboratory develop and evaluate cutting-edge cellular therapies, helping accelerate the translation of laboratory discoveries into clinical advances. 
  • Unparalleled support throughout treatment. Most complications after cell therapy occur during the first several weeks after treatment, making close follow-up essential. If you are traveling to Columbia for treatment, our team can help connect you with resources and accommodations to support you and your caregivers throughout the treatment process. 

CAR-T Cell Therapy: How Living Drugs Are Changing Medicine

What is cell therapy?

Cell therapy (also called cellular immunotherapy or adoptive cell therapy) is a form of cancer treatment that uses your own immune system to fight cancer.

Immune cells, usually T cells or natural killer (NK) cells, are collected from your blood, engineered in a specialized laboratory, and then infused back into your body. These enhanced cells are designed to better recognize and attack cancer. Cell therapy is very potent, so it is frequently used as a one-time treatment or a short course and can minimize the need for chemotherapy.

Cancers treated with cell therapy

Cell therapy has been approved by the FDA to treat several types of cancers, particularly when the cancer has returned after treatment or has not responded to standard therapies. These include:

At Columbia, we are leading the way in developing and testing new ways to use cell therapies in additional cancer types such as prostate cancer, acute myeloid leukemia, brain tumors, T-cell lymphomas and many others.

Types of cell therapy

There are many types of cell therapy. Many different approaches can be used to engineer or activate immune cells to recognize, attack, and destroy cancer. Some cell therapies are already approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for certain cancers while others are available through clinical trials.

CAR T-cell therapy

CAR T-cell therapy is one of the best-known forms of cell therapy. It uses a patient’s own T cells, a type of white blood cell, and genetically engineers them in a laboratory to recognize specific proteins on cancer cells.

CAR stands for “chimeric antigen receptor.” This receptor is added to the T cells so they can better find and attach to cancer cells. Once the modified CAR T cells are infused back into the patient, they multiply, search for cancer cells throughout the body, and help destroy them.

CAR T-cell therapy is most commonly used for certain blood cancers, including some lymphomas, leukemias, and multiple myeloma, especially when the cancer has returned or has not responded to standard treatments. CAR T cells are explored in clinical trials even in newly diagnosed patients and may replace in the future standard chemotherapy approaches or bone marrow transplants.

Tumor Infiltrating Lymphocyte (TIL) therapy

Tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte therapy, also called TIL therapy, uses immune cells that are already inside a patient’s tumor. These cells are a sign that the immune system has recognized the cancer and is trying to attack it, but there may not be enough of them to control the disease. 

In TIL therapy, these immune cells are removed from a tumor sample and grown in a specialized laboratory until there are billions of cancer-fighting cells. They are then infused back into the patient, where they can help recognize and attack cancer cells.

TIL therapy is an important option for some people with advanced melanoma and is being studied in other types of cancer.

T Cell Receptor (TCR) therapy

T-cell receptor therapy, or TCR therapy, is another type of engineered T-cell therapy. Like CAR T-cell therapy, TCR therapy uses T cells that are modified in a laboratory. However, TCR therapy is designed to help T cells recognize cancer-related proteins that may be hidden inside tumor cells.  

This is important because many cancer-specific targets are not found on the surface of cancer cells. By giving T cells a new receptor, TCR therapy helps the immune system detect and attack cancers that are harder to target with other approaches.

TCR therapy is an active area of research and is currently being studied in clinical trials for several cancer types.

How does cell therapy work?

The patient’s journey with cell therapy begins with collecting immune cells from the blood or, in some cases, from a tumor sample. These cells are then sent to a specialized laboratory, where they are modified, activated, and grown to achieve a high number of cells, frequently hundreds of millions or even billions. 

For CAR T-cell therapy and TCR therapy, T cells are genetically engineered to better recognize cancer. For TIL therapy, immune cells that have already entered the tumor are expanded into much larger numbers. Once the cells are ready, they are returned to the patient through an infusion. 

Before receiving the cell therapy infusion, patients usually receive a short course of chemotherapy. This helps prepare the body so the infused immune cells can survive, expand, and work more effectively. 

After infusion, the cells begin searching for cancer cells. Some therapies target proteins on the surface of cancer cells, while others help immune cells recognize proteins inside tumor cells. The goal is to create a stronger, more precise immune response against cancer.

Is cell therapy right for me?

Cell therapy may be an option for some patients whose cancer has returned, continued to grow, or not responded well to standard treatments such as chemotherapy, targeted therapy, or immunotherapy.

Whether cell therapy is right for you depends on several factors, including your cancer type, prior treatments, overall health, and whether there is an approved cell therapy or clinical trial available for your disease.

At Columbia, your care team will carefully review your diagnosis, treatment history, test results, and overall health. You may also meet with specialists in cell therapy, bone marrow transplant, nursing, social work, and other areas of care. Together, they will determine whether cell therapy is safe and appropriate for you. 

For some patients, an FDA-approved cell therapy may be available. For others, participation in a clinical trial may provide access to promising new approaches that are not yet approved.

What to expect during cell therapy

Cell therapy is a highly specialized treatment that involves several steps. Your care team will guide you and your family through each part of the process.

  • Make an appointment: The first step is to meet with a cell therapy expert. To schedule an appointment, call us at 212-305-5098.
  • The evaluation: Our cell therapy experts will review your case and communicate with your referring physician to decide if this treatment is right for you. Your team will review your medical history, cancer diagnosis, prior treatments, and current health. If we decide that cell therapy is appropriate for you, you may need blood tests, imaging, heart or lung testing, and other evaluations to make sure cell therapy can be given safely. 
  • Collecting (harvesting) the immune cells: Depending on the type of cell therapy, immune cells may be collected from your blood or from a tumor sample. 
  • Preparing the cell therapy: The collected cells are sent to a specialized laboratory or manufacturing facility. There, they may be genetically engineered, activated, or grown into large numbers. This process may take several weeks, and your care team will discuss what to expect while your cells are being prepared. Sometimes bridging therapy is administered to prevent the cancer from growing and spreading during the manufacturing period.
  • Preparing for the infusion: Before you receive the cell therapy, you may get a low dose of chemotherapy to prepare your body for the treatment. This is called "lymphodepleting chemotherapy."
  • Receiving the cell therapy: After lymphodepleting chemotherapy is completed, the cell therapy is given through an IV infusion. The infusion itself is often relatively short, but the care surrounding it is intensive. Your team will monitor you closely before, during, and after treatment.
  • Monitoring your health: After the infusion, we will monitor you closely for side effects, including daily checks, so that any issues can be addressed as soon as possible. This monitoring is frequently done in the hospital or, in some cases, in the outpatient clinic.  
  • Follow-up: After an initial monitoring period, you will continue to follow up with your cell therapy team to assess your response to the treatment and check for any late side effects.
  • Long-term follow-up: The cell therapy team will continue to monitor you closely to check how well the cancer responded and how your body is recovering from the treatment. If you have a local oncologist in the community, some of this follow up can be done with them.

Cell therapy side effects

Cell therapies can be powerful treatments, but they can also cause side effects. In the minority of cases, these side effects can become serious. These side effects happen because the immune system is being activated to fight cancer. At Columbia, patients are cared for by experienced teams who know how to recognize and manage these complications quickly. The main side effects of cell therapies include: 

  • Cytokine release syndrome: One of the most common side effects of CAR T-cell therapy is cytokine release syndrome, or CRS. This happens when activated immune cells release inflammatory proteins called cytokines. Symptoms can feel like a bad flu, with fever, chills, fatigue, and body aches. In more severe cases, CRS can cause low blood pressure, trouble breathing, or the need for intensive care.
  • Immune effector cell-associated neurotoxicity syndrome (ICANS): Some patients may develop temporary neurologic side effects. These symptoms may include confusion, difficulty speaking, trouble finding words, sleepiness, tremors, seizures, or other changes in brain function. Most neurologic symptoms are treatable and resolve with close care. 
  • Depending on the specific type of cell therapy, additional side effects may occur. The cell therapy team will review them with you prior to the treatment and monitor you carefully throughout the process.

Because side effects can develop quickly, patients are monitored closely after treatment. Your care team includes cell therapy specialists, nurses, advanced practice providers, neurologists, intensive care doctors, infectious disease specialists, cardiologists, and other experts who can respond rapidly if complications occur. The cell therapy team is also actively conducting research to better understand and prevent these side effects.

Cell therapy clinical trials at the HICCC

HICCC is home to pioneering research in next-generation cellular immunotherapies. We have an onsite, Good Manufacturing Process (GMP) Facility that can produce cutting-edge cell therapies and supports cell therapy clinical trials. Through clinical trials, eligible patients may access:

  • Allogeneic cell therapies (made from donor cells instead of the patient’s cells) 
  • Novel CAR T-cell constructs
  • Advanced immune engineering and precision therapies
  • New monitoring strategies for side effects

Your doctor can help determine whether a clinical trial may be an option for you.

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