Chinese American Travels Across Oceans for Treatment: Groundbreaking CAR-T Therapy Saves His Life
Recently, the team led by Dr. Zheng Yu, Chief Physician of the Department of Medical Oncology, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, successfully completed Hangzhou’s first solid-tumor CAR-T cell therapy using CT041, the world’s first CAR-T cell therapy approved for solid tumors. The treatment was administered to an American citizen of Chinese descent with advanced gastric cancer who had failed multiple lines of prior therapy, igniting new hope for survival.
Notably, Dr. Zheng Yu’s team took part in the early clinical research of this world-first therapy, witnessing its whole journey from scientific research to clinical application. The successful completion of this case marks that Hangzhou has officially entered a new era of solid-tumor CAR-T cell therapy.
Traveling across mountains and seas in pursuit of survival
The patient, an American Chinese who had lived in the US for over 40 years, was diagnosed with gastric cancer and underwent surgery two years ago. Unfortunately, widespread intra-abdominal metastasis developed one year later. He had received multiple rounds of conventional treatments including chemotherapy, immunotherapy and targeted therapy in the US, yet the tumor kept progressing, leaving him with fewer available treatment options.
Hoping to explore new therapeutic possibilities, he returned to China and consulted hospitals in Shanghai, Hangzhou and other cities. After extensive research, he traveled to Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital to visit Dr. Zheng Yu’s clinic.
Faced with the patient under immense physical and mental strain, Dr. Zheng’s team patiently listened to his medical journey, carefully reviewed his full medical history, and double-checked his pathology and genetic test reports. After multi-dimensional comprehensive evaluation, the team confirmed the patient was CLDN18.2-positive and HER2-negative, with disease progression after at least two lines of standard treatment, meeting the clinical indications for CT041.
“This is a rare opportunity, yet the treatment also carries risks,” said Associate Chief Physician Yao Junlin. She explained the benefits, potential adverse events and full treatment procedure to the patient and his family repeatedly. After thorough communication and gaining full understanding and trust from the family, the medical team decided to proceed with CAR-T cell infusion.
The whole treatment was carried out rigorously and systematically: harvesting the patient’s own immune cells, lymphodepletion preconditioning to clear original lymphocytes in the body, and infusion of engineered CAR-T cells. Medical staff remained on-site throughout every step to closely monitor all vital indicators.
Fortunately, the patient tolerated the treatment well with no severe adverse reactions. After overcoming the critical phase of therapy, his general condition gradually improved. Redness and swelling on the ruptured abdominal wall tumor subsided, and the wound healed slowly. Before returning to the US upon discharge, he expressed sincere gratitude. The medical team at Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital not only delivered cutting-edge treatment, but also provided warm companionship and encouragement, renewing his hope for life amid suffering.
From laboratory research to bedside care
This clinical case carries special meaning for Dr. Zheng Yu and his team. They were deeply involved in the research and development of CT041 back in its clinical trial phase.
From exploratory attempts in clinical studies to its official approval as a new treatment option, Dr. Zheng’s team witnessed and promoted the translation of this world-first therapy from trials to real clinical practice.
The scientific “seed” planted years ago has finally bloomed after lengthy research. Now, this innovative technology co-developed by the team has been put into clinical use in their own hands, bringing genuine hope to patients with end-stage gastric cancer trapped in desperate situations.
CT041 is the world’s first approved CAR-T cell therapy for solid tumors, targeting CLDN18.2, a key biomarker in gastric cancer. This target is highly expressed on tumor cells of some gastric cancer patients while rarely present in healthy human tissues, acting like a precise navigation beacon. It enables the therapy to attack tumors specifically and minimize damage to normal tissues.
According to published clinical data, for advanced gastric cancer patients with multi-line treatment failure, this CAR-T therapy reduces the risk of disease progression or death by 63% compared with conventional regimens. Tumors shrink significantly in more than half of patients, and disease can be effectively controlled in the vast majority of cases.
Breakthroughs in solid-tumor CAR-T therapy open up a brand-new treatment landscape for advanced gastrointestinal cancers. In addition, the department is currently recruiting participants for clinical studies of ADC and CAR-T therapies targeting the CLDN18.2 biomarker. Eligible patients may consult the research team at the clinic.
Moving forward, Dr. Zheng Yu’s team will continue to leverage their strengths in clinical research and multidisciplinary collaboration. Upholding the philosophy of precise and individualized treatment, they will translate frontier technologies into real clinical practice to help more patients with advanced gastrointestinal cancers find renewed hope.
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