Curative potential of CAR T-cell therapy in large B-cell lymphoma

Before the advent of CAR T‑cell therapy, patients receiving second-line treatment for large B‑cell lymphoma (LBCL) who were ineligible for autologous stem cell transplantation had poor outcomes, with a median overall survival of approximately 4 months.¹

As long-term survival data for CAR T-cell therapy have matured, the concept of potential curative outcomes in LBCL has gained prominence. In this setting, survival plateaus following completion of therapy are widely interpreted as evidence of durable remission, supported by 3‑year overall survival and 2-year event-free survival.^2,3 Initial evidence for this paradigm was observed in the ZUMA‑1 trial of axicabtagene ciloleucel, which demonstrated durable remissions and a plateau in long-term follow-up among patients with relapsed/refractory LBCL.⁴

Long-term data for lisocabtagene maraleucel from the TRANSFORM and TRANSCEND NHL 001 studies further extend this evidence base. Across both trials, prolonged survival and plateauing of overall and progression-free survival curves are consistent with durable long-term disease control in a subset of patients. Importantly, extended follow-up has revealed no new safety signals, supporting sustained benefit without evidence of cumulative toxicity.^5,6

This educational resource is independently supported by Bristol Myers Squibb. All content was developed by SES in collaboration with an expert steering committee. Funders were allowed no influence.