PATIENT-REPORTED EXPERIENCES WITH CANCER-RELATED FATIGUE (CRF) FOLLOWING TREATMENT WITH CAR T-CELL THERAPY (CAR-T) IN PATIENTS WITH LYMPHOMA OR CHRONIC LYMPHOCYTIC LEUKEMIA (CLL)
Author(s)
Shawn Sajkowski, BBA1, Mavis Lui2, Lorna Warwick, BA3, Marjorie Morrison, MHA3;
1Lymphoma Coalition, Mississagua, ON, Canada, 2Lymphoma Coalition, Canada, 3Lymphoma Coalition, Mississauga, ON, Canada
1Lymphoma Coalition, Mississagua, ON, Canada, 2Lymphoma Coalition, Canada, 3Lymphoma Coalition, Mississauga, ON, Canada
OBJECTIVES: While patients receiving CAR-T experience a variety of adverse events (AEs), clinical studies and clinical practice remains focused primarily on cytokine release syndrome (CRS) and immune effector cell-associated neurotoxicity syndrome (ICANS). With CRF being a commonly reported AE by patients with lymphoma, we sought to explore CRF specifically in patients who received CAR-T.
METHODS: A cross-sectional online, anonymous survey was conducted from February to April 2024 to gather the lived experiences of patients with lymphoma or CLL. Respondents were asked to select the last therapy-type received along with any related AEs and their impact on quality of life (QoL). Respondents were also asked if AEs were discussed with their healthcare provider (HCP) and the types of support or resources provided.
RESULTS: The study cohort included 105 patients with lymphoma and CLL from 19 countries who received CAR-T as their last treatment. Median age was 62, with 52% being female. Most were diagnosed with diffuse large B-cell (57%) and mantel cell (11%) lymphomas. CRF was selected as an AE by 76% of respondents compared with CRS (46%) and ICANS (27%). Moreover, 88% of patients reporting CRF rated their severity from moderate to severe compared with 78% reporting CRS and 82% with ICANS. Despite the high prevalence and severity, 21% note not discussing CRF with their HCP very much or at all and 32% say their HCP did not provide specific help to address CRF.
CONCLUSIONS: CRF is the most reported AE by patients receiving CAR-T, exceeding both CRS and ICANS in our study. While CRS and ICANS can be clinically significant, CRF has a greater impact on QoL according to patients. Future research on CRF in relation to CAR-T is warranted. Additionally, HCPs should initiate communication regarding CRF with CAR-T patients, ensuring adequate screening and strategies to manage CRF are implemented into clinical practice.
METHODS: A cross-sectional online, anonymous survey was conducted from February to April 2024 to gather the lived experiences of patients with lymphoma or CLL. Respondents were asked to select the last therapy-type received along with any related AEs and their impact on quality of life (QoL). Respondents were also asked if AEs were discussed with their healthcare provider (HCP) and the types of support or resources provided.
RESULTS: The study cohort included 105 patients with lymphoma and CLL from 19 countries who received CAR-T as their last treatment. Median age was 62, with 52% being female. Most were diagnosed with diffuse large B-cell (57%) and mantel cell (11%) lymphomas. CRF was selected as an AE by 76% of respondents compared with CRS (46%) and ICANS (27%). Moreover, 88% of patients reporting CRF rated their severity from moderate to severe compared with 78% reporting CRS and 82% with ICANS. Despite the high prevalence and severity, 21% note not discussing CRF with their HCP very much or at all and 32% say their HCP did not provide specific help to address CRF.
CONCLUSIONS: CRF is the most reported AE by patients receiving CAR-T, exceeding both CRS and ICANS in our study. While CRS and ICANS can be clinically significant, CRF has a greater impact on QoL according to patients. Future research on CRF in relation to CAR-T is warranted. Additionally, HCPs should initiate communication regarding CRF with CAR-T patients, ensuring adequate screening and strategies to manage CRF are implemented into clinical practice.
Conference/Value in Health Info
2026-05, ISPOR 2026, Philadelphia, PA, USA
Value in Health, Volume 29, Issue S6
Code
PCR183
Topic
Patient-Centered Research
Topic Subcategory
Patient-reported Outcomes & Quality of Life Outcomes
Disease
SDC: Oncology