CAR T cells as a second-line therapy for large B-cell lymphoma: a paradigm shift?

The standard of care treatment strategy for patients with relapsed or refractory large B-cell lymphoma (LBCL) has been high-dose chemotherapy followed by autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) if chemotherapy sensitive in suitable patients. Because of treatment intensity, this approach has only been feasible in half of patients and because of chemotherapy resistance has only been successful in a quarter of transplant-eligible patients. Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy, using genetically modified autologous T cells targeting CD19, has been approved for third-line therapy of LBCL and has been associated with durable remissions in a proportion of patients. In this review, we interpret the design and results of 3 randomized phase 3 trials comparing CAR T-cell therapy and ASCT and their implications for CAR T-cell therapy as a potential new standard of care for second-line treatment in appropriate patients with refractory or early relapsing LBCL.