First Foreign Patient Treated with Axicabtagene Ciloleucel CAR-T Therapy Discharged from Shanghai Jiahui International Hospital

Since CAR-T therapy obtained marketing approval in China, Jiahui International Cancer Center has partnered with domestic and international stakeholders to build an international CAR-T diagnosis and treatment platform through clinical experience sharing, academic exchange, and hematologic oncology education. Meanwhile, the center’s multidisciplinary medical team keeps pace with global leading standards, conducting extensive clinical exploration of cutting-edge theories and technologies to deliver new curative hope for more hematologic malignancy patients.

On September 13, 2023, the first foreign patient in China to receive CAR-T therapy with axicabtagene ciloleucel was discharged smoothly three weeks after CAR-T cell infusion. On the day of discharge, Jiahui’s medical and nursing staff, who accompanied the patient through every tough stage of treatment, gathered with her family outside the ward of the cancer center to hold a special discharge commemoration ceremony, celebrating her successful completion of CAR-T treatment.

A Foreign Mother of Three Diagnosed with Primary Refractory Lymphoma in Shanghai

Lyn, a 40-year-old Singaporean mother of three, has resided in Shanghai for 15 years. She maintained a healthy lifestyle, enjoying gatherings with friends and regular fitness workouts. In mid-2022, she suddenly suffered severe pain in her neck, shoulders and upper limbs, losing sleep every night. Initially misdiagnosed as a stiff neck, her symptoms deteriorated over time, even impairing breathing. She visited the emergency department of Shanghai Jiahui International Hospital, where imaging revealed a massive 15-centimeter mediastinal mass.

Compression from the large tumor triggered upper extremity venous syndrome (SVCS) by pressing on adjacent heart, major blood vessels and lungs, causing severe dyspnea that posed an immediate threat to her life. Jiahui’s hematologic oncology team quickly confirmed the diagnosis via biopsy pathology: primary mediastinal large B-cell lymphoma (PMBCL), a rare lymphoma subtype that predominantly affects young women.

After prompt diagnosis, Jiahui’s hematology team held an immediate multidisciplinary (MDT) consultation and formulated a comprehensive intensive treatment regimen for Lyn. She subsequently received combined chemo-targeted therapy and consolidative radiotherapy. Unfortunately, she showed no response to chemoradiotherapy: the lymphoma shrank by half then stopped regressing, followed by rapid disease progression. Lyn’s case was defined as primary refractory lymphoma, a condition linked to poor overall prognosis for patients who fail to achieve complete remission with standard chemoradiotherapy or experience early relapse and progression post-treatment.

After thorough evaluation and in alignment with domestic and international clinical guidelines, Jiahui’s hematology team concluded she urgently required more innovative treatment. On June 26, 2023, the Center for Drug Evaluation (CDE) officially announced approval of CAR-T cell immunotherapy as second-line treatment for adult large B-cell lymphoma, reigniting Lyn’s hope for recovery.

CAR-T therapy, or Chimeric Antigen Receptor T-cell therapy, represents a groundbreaking personalized cellular immunotherapy for human cancers. Clinicians extract the patient’s own T cells, genetically engineer them ex vivo to enhance their ability to specifically recognize tumor cells, then infuse large quantities of these “armed” CAR-T cells back into the patient’s body to precisely eliminate malignant cells. The therapy also generates memory T cells, delivering sustained, targeted anti-tumor immunity.

In China, CAR-T therapies are currently approved for lymphoma and multiple myeloma indications. CAR-T treatment demands exceptional expertise from hematologic oncology teams and robust multidisciplinary capabilities, as it covers numerous critical links: patient screening, bridging therapy, adverse event management, and long-term follow-up. For this reason, CAR-T procedures must be administered at medical centers with extensive hematologic malignancy experience and mature multidisciplinary systems.

Treatment Choice: Shanghai, Singapore or the U.S.?

After careful deliberation, Lyn’s family opted to receive this world-leading therapy at Shanghai Jiahui International Hospital. Her husband shared their rationale: “Multiple factors guided our decision. First, our children attend school in Shanghai. Second, CAR-T treatment abroad costs far more than in China, with a waiting period of 3 to 6 months at minimum.

Most importantly, we fully trust Shanghai Jiahui International Hospital’s comprehensive clinical strength and full-spectrum medical support. From our first emergency visit, their professionalism and thoughtful care left a deep impression. Staying at Jiahui allowed us access to globally advanced treatment in a familiar city—and our choice proved entirely correct.”

Jiahui International Cancer Center immediately launched the CAR-T clinical workflow to secure Lyn’s optimal treatment window.

CAR-T Treatment Initiated: Tense Yet Orderly Progress

As Shanghai’s first international hospital qualified to deliver CAR-T therapy, Shanghai Jiahui International Hospital prioritized this treatment program. This patient’s care united cross-departmental collaboration across the Cancer Center, Cardiology, Neurology, ICU, Respiratory Medicine, Gastroenterology, Nephrology, Radiology, Clinical Laboratory, Pharmacy, and specialized oncology nursing teams. Staff completed multiple rounds of pre-treatment training and scenario simulation, with real-time updates on the patient’s clinical status.

Following pre-treatment bridging therapy, infection screening and pre-leukapheresis confirmation, Jiahui’s hematology team performed T-cell collection on Lyn on July 19, 2023, and successfully completed CAR-T cell infusion on August 21.

Post-infusion, Jiahui’s multidisciplinary team stood by for round-the-clock monitoring of Lyn’s vital signs and clinical symptoms. On Day 7 after infusion, Lyn developed fever, hypotension and vomiting—classic symptoms of Cytokine Release Syndrome (CRS). Jiahui’s clinical team activated pre-established emergency protocols for prompt intervention, stabilizing her condition without delay. The infused CAR-T “T-cell soldiers” expanded robustly in her body, alleviating tumor-induced pain.

In early September, clinical assessment confirmed stable disease, and Lyn was transferred from the dedicated CAR-T isolation ward to a standard oncology ward. On September 13, she was formally discharged. Though long-term monitoring and follow-up treatment remain necessary, she had safely overcome the most critical phase of therapy.

Cutting-Edge Therapy Lands in China, Backed by a Multidisciplinary Expert Team

Shanghai carries special meaning for Lyn. Over her 15 years of residency here, she has witnessed the city’s rising international profile and firsthand experienced its rapid adoption of world-class medical technologies matching Western standards. Lyn is both the first CAR-T patient treated at Shanghai Jiahui International Hospital and the first foreign patient nationwide to complete axicabtagene ciloleucel CAR-T therapy. The successful delivery of this treatment at Jiahui reflects Lyn’s trust in China’s medical quality and further validates the hospital’s comprehensive strength in international healthcare services.

Jiahui International Cancer Center at Shanghai Jiahui International Hospital has obtained multiple CAR-T training certifications and official authorization to conduct clinical CAR-T cell therapy. CAR-T treatment expenses consist of pharmaceutical and non-pharmaceutical costs; the total cost of therapy in China is substantially lower than in the U.S. and other Western countries, with commercial insurance reimbursement already available and additional payment options forthcoming.

Currently, Jiahui integrates CAR-T clinical services with its international diagnosis platform and Shanghai’s top-tier local medical resources, offering full-spectrum CAR-T care including outpatient consultation, eligibility screening, T-cell leukapheresis, CAR-T cell infusion, and adverse event surveillance & management. Aligned with global CAR-T clinical guidelines, Jiahui has established standardized service workflows and quality control systems to safeguard personalized patient treatment.

Its dedicated CAR-T multidisciplinary clinical team unites specialists from the Cancer Center, Cardiology, Neurology, ICU, Respiratory Medicine, Gastroenterology, Nephrology, Radiology, Clinical Laboratory, Pharmacy, and oncology nursing units. The hospital is equipped with advanced T-cell extraction equipment and purpose-built CAR-T isolation wards, delivering full hardware and software support for intensive patient monitoring and comfortable care experiences.