The Northwell Cancer Institute has become the first medical center on Long Island to offer Carvykti, a CAR T-cell therapy for patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma. Multiple myeloma is a cancer that affects plasma cells in the bone marrow and impacts about 36,000 Americans each year. The disease can cause bone pain, fatigue, frequent infections, kidney problems, and anemia.
Carvykti uses a patient’s own immune system to fight cancer. The process involves collecting the patient’s T-cells, genetically modifying them in a laboratory to target the BCMA protein on myeloma cells, and then infusing these enhanced cells back into the patient. This method offers an alternative to traditional chemotherapy or targeted therapies.
“What makes Carvykti different from previous multiple myeloma treatments is the mechanism of action,” explained A. Samer Al-Homsi, MD, MBA, system chief of blood and marrow transplant and cellular therapy at the Northwell Cancer Institute. “It’s one of these new treatments that leverage the power of the immune system to attack the cancer cells. It is not using medications or chemical substances — it’s really directing the immune system of the patient to fight the cancer.”
Dr. Al-Homsi described Carvykti as an important step forward for patients: “Carvykti represents hope for multiple myeloma patients, with a majority of patients achieving response. While we know that it’s still not a cure, it is one of our most powerful treatment options that can provide patients with significant periods of disease control and normal living. The earlier we can deploy this therapy, the better outcomes we expect to see.”
He also noted changes in available treatments over time: “When I started treating multiple myeloma more than 20 years ago, we really did not have much,” reflected Dr. Al-Homsi. “Now I can count probably more than 15 or 16 medications available to us, which has made this disease sort of a chronic illness with a longer extended duration of life.”
Dr. Bayer said with Carvykti therapy some patients may experience long remission periods without active treatment. “The goal for Mrs. Perez is to achieve remission and enter an observation phase where she won’t need active treatment for potentially three to five years,” explained Dr. Bayer.
