ORLANDO, Fla. – Cancer patients at AdventHealth Cancer Institute in Orlando have access to a groundbreaking treatment that transforms their own immune cells into cancer-fighting agents, offering new hope for those with multiple myeloma.

The treatment, known as CAR-T cell therapy using Carvykti, allows patients to fight cancer using modified versions of their own immune cells. AdventHealth Cancer Institute serves as the only facility in Central Florida offering this innovative approach.

“They are putting a sensor called a receptor in these T Cells so that the T Cell can now sense cancer cells and not just the infection,” said Dr. Rushang Patel, Medical Director of Stem Cell Transplant and Cellular Therapy at AdventHealth Cancer Institute.

Recent data presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) conference revealed that 33% of patients in the CARTITUDE-1 study achieved five or more years of survival without requiring additional treatment. This milestone represents significant progress in treating multiple myeloma, a cancer that disproportionately affects older adults and occurs at about twice the rate in Black Americans compared to white Americans.

Multiple myeloma, a cancer of plasma B cells found within bone marrow, currently has a five-year relative survival rate of 58%. The disease often proves challenging to diagnose early, with many patients discovering their condition only after significant progression has occurred. The average age at diagnosis is 69, though Black Americans often develop the disease at younger ages.

Jeff Bishop of Winter Springs, Florida, began his journey with multiple myeloma in 2020 when he experienced tingling in his foot. “It was an interesting jump going from something I thought was just a tingly injury in my foot into getting a cancer diagnosis,” Bishop said.

After undergoing chemotherapy and stem cell replacement without lasting success, Bishop turned to CAR-T therapy. The treatment process involves collecting a patient’s blood, modifying the T cells in a laboratory to recognize cancer cells, and reinfusing them back into the patient.

“It’s just like a blood transfusion. You hang it up. The cells go into the patient’s blood and they start doing their job,” Dr. Patel explained.

More than 6,500 patients globally have received this treatment to date. For Bishop, the results proved transformative.

“I am now sitting here with you in full remission. There’s no detections anywhere in my bone marrow. Everything’s going great,” he said.

The treatment’s durability sets it apart from traditional therapies. Bishop has returned to his normal life – working, raising his daughter, and lifting weights. Most importantly, his modified immune system stands ready to combat any potential cancer recurrence.

“Those T-Cells are still swimming around just waiting and just looking. And if it comes back, they’re just gonna kill it,” Bishop explained.