T-Cell Receptor (TCR) Therapy

During TCR therapy, some of your white blood cells, called T-cells, are removed from your blood, re-engineered in a lab to find and eliminate cancer cells, then returned to your body through an infusion.

TCR therapy is a one-time treatment and works by modifying your body’s T-cells to make them better at detecting cancer cells. It is similar to CAR T-cell therapy, which works by recognizing suspicious proteins on the surface of cancer cells, except that it detects proteins originating inside the cell

Determining If You Are a Candidate

If your oncologists determine that you may benefit from TCR therapy, they will refer you to our cell therapy specialists, and you will undergo a series of tests:

• A blood test will determine whether you are eligible for the therapy.
• Your tumor will be biopsied, to ensure that it is likely to respond to the therapy. If you had a recent tumor biopsy, this can sometimes be used instead.
• You will meet with a financial counselor who will talk with you about your health insurance and affording the therapy.

Collecting Your T-cells and Preparation For Therapy

If you are eligible for treatment, you will undergo a procedure in the clinic called apheresis. This removes blood from your body through a machine called a centrifuge, filters out the T-cells, and then returns the rest of the blood to your body. The process takes about two to four hours.

Your T-cells are then sent to a lab, where they are re-engineered, multiplied, and sent back to Duke. This could take several weeks. In the meantime, you may undergo chemotherapy or radiation to prepare your body to receive the new cells.

Infusing the New T-Cells and Monitoring

You’ll return to the clinic for the infusion of the new TCR-engineered T-cells. After your infusion, your doctors will watch for side effects and minimize any reactions, which could include low blood counts, and fever. These side effects are expected and can last for days as your body reacts to the new T-cells attacking your cancer. Duke specialists are experts at recognizing and treating side effects to improve your quality of life.

Staying Nearby During Your Care

Because TCR therapy recipients must stay locally for an extended period, Duke can work with you to find housing if you’re traveling from outside the Triangle. Duke Patient Information Services will work with you and your loved ones to find nearby affordable lodging. Staff can also check to see if you’re eligible for financial assistance for housing.

Deep Experience Offering Cellular Therapies
At Duke, we’ve treated over 300 people with cellular therapies such as CAR-T and TCR therapy. Though the treatments are newer, we have extensive experience supporting and taking care of these patients.

A National Standard of Excellence
Duke is accredited to provide TCR therapy by the Foundation for Accreditation for Cellular Therapy, a nonprofit organization committed to quality care. You and your family can feel confident that your providers are among the country’s leaders in this new therapy.

Advancing Cancer Treatments
Our researchers explore genetic differences among cancers that lead to improved therapies. Novel techniques such as less intense stem cell transplants, pioneered in part at Duke, offer hope to people with cancer.

Family-Based Support
During your care, our cancer support services offer a variety of ways to care for you and your loved ones, including support groups, counseling, and more. You can find a listing of options on our event calendar.