Chimeric antigen receptor T‐cell therapy as a cure for large B‐cell lymphoma

Abstract

Large B‐cell lymphoma (LBCL) is cured in most patients with first‐line chemoimmunotherapy; however, 30%–40% of patients will have relapsed or refractory (R/R) disease. Of these patients, those with refractory or early relapsed LBCL may receive chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T‐cell therapy as their second‐line treatment if they are eligible, and those with late relapse may instead receive high‐dose chemotherapy with autologous stem cell transplantation, recently licensed second‐line bispecific antibody with chemotherapy, other targeted agents, or palliative management only. This narrative review aims to summarize the data for CAR T‐cell therapy as a curative‐intent treatment for R/R LBCL based on available evidence. This evidence includes long‑term follow‑up data from the Phase 3 ZUMA‑7 and TRANSFORM trials, as well as other CAR T‐cell therapy studies, which suggest the potential for CAR T‑cell therapy to achieve durable, possibly curative outcomes in R/R LBCL. Both studies show clear plateaus in Kaplan–Meier survival curves around 2 years, with sustained remissions extending to 5 years. These data offer a compelling perspective on the curative potential of CAR T‐cell therapy while underscoring the need for continued follow‑up and broader analyses.