Is CAR T-Cell Therapy Safe for Autoimmune Patients?

A new study published in The Lancet Rheumatology provides encouraging news for individuals with autoimmune or inflammatory diseases who also face cancer. Researchers at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute reviewed over 600 cases of patients receiving CAR T-cell therapy for lymphoma or multiple myeloma—53 of whom had pre-existing autoimmune or inflammatory diseases, including lupus, psoriasis, and thyroid disease.

The results showed no increase in severe side effects, including cytokine release syndrome or immune-effector cell-associated neurotoxicity syndrome (ICANS), among autoimmune patients compared to those without these conditions. Importantly, no patients with autoimmune disease experienced severe cytokine storms, and only one mild flare (of psoriasis) was reported after treatment. In fact, many patients showed lower disease activity and required less immunosuppressive medication after therapy.

These findings suggest that CAR T-cell therapy—a powerful cancer immunotherapy—may be safer than previously thought for patients with underlying autoimmune diseases. While more data are needed, the study offers hope that life-saving cancer treatments won’t have to be withheld due to autoimmunity.

Citation

Vanni, K. et al. (2025). Safety of CAR T-cell therapy for cancer in pre-existing autoimmune or inflammatory disease: a retrospective comparative cohort study. The Lancet. Rheumatology, 7(4), e226–e229. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2665-9913(24)00402-8