Sometimes one of the most important parts of recovery is protecting the body while it rebuilds.
For people who undergo a stem cell transplant or CAR T-cell therapy, the immune system can remain vulnerable for months after treatment. During this time, understanding infection risk — and knowing when to seek care — becomes a critical part of recovery.
In this episode of Thrive!, we take a closer look at managing infections after transplant and CAR T-cell therapy. Guided by infectious disease specialist Dr. Gowri Satyanarayana, this Deep Dive explores why infection risk exists during recovery, what symptoms should never be ignored, and how patients and care partners can reduce risk while maintaining quality of life.
You’ll hear why conditions such as neutropenic fever require immediate attention, how clinicians think about the different categories of infections that can occur after treatment, and what practical steps patients and care partners can take to help prevent infections at home. We also discuss travel considerations, vaccination timelines, and how recovery gradually evolves as the immune system strengthens.
In this week’s news update, we highlight several developments shaping transplant and CAR T care: ongoing efforts to expand access to CAR T-cell therapy through improvements in awareness, capacity, and healthcare infrastructure; the FDA’s approval of the first therapy specifically indicated for transplant-associated thrombotic microangiopathy (TA-TMA); and new research examining patient-reported outcomes following stem cell transplant and CAR T therapy. We also highlight a resource that may help: BMT InfoNet’s Caring Connections program, which connects patients, survivors, and care partners with trained volunteers who understand the transplant and CAR T experience firsthand.
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CHAPTER MARKERS
00:01 Welcome!
00:46 Updates – CAR T Access and Availability
02:27 Updates – FDA Approves First Therapy for TA-TMA
03:56 Updates – Patient-Reported Outcomes After Treatment
05:21 A Quick Note
06:14 Something That May Help – Caring Connections
07:12 Deep Dive – Cold Open
08:11 Deep Dive – Managing Infections After Treatment
09:38 Deep Dive – Understanding Neutropenic Fever
11:04 Deep Dive – Four Categories of Infections
14:53 Deep Dive – Preventing Infections at Home
16:04 Deep Dive – Travel After Treatment
16:36 Deep Dive – Vaccinations After Transplant and CAR T
18:08 Deep Dive – Takeaways
19:32 One Last Thought
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RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE
Deep Dive Presentation
Dr. Gowri Satyanarayana – Managing Infections After Transplant and CAR T-Cell Therapy
https://bmtinfonet.org/video/managing-infections-after-transplant-and-car-t-cell-therapy-0
News Articles Mentioned
Targeted Oncology – Promoting CAR T Access: Awareness, Capacity, and Economics
https://targetedonc.com/view/promoting-car-t-access-focuses-on-awareness-capacity-and-economics
Omeros – FDA Approves YARTEMLEA™ as the First Therapy for TA-TMA
https://investor.omeros.com/news-releases/news-release-details/fda-approves-omeros-yartemlear-first-and-only-therapy-indicated
Blood Advances – Patient-Reported Outcomes After Stem Cell Transplant and CAR T-Cell Therapy
https://ashpublications.org/bloodadvances/article/9/24/6380/547438/Patient-reported-outcomes-in-patients-with
Something That May Help
BMT InfoNet – Caring Connections
https://bmtinfonet.org/support/caring-connections
Patient Stories from the BMT and CAR T Community
https://bmtinfonet.org/stories
Join the BMT InfoNet Facebook Community
https://www.facebook.com/bonemarrowstemcelltransplantclub
Email us
thrive@bmtinfonet.org
Links were active at the time of publication.
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