Real-Life CAR-T Cell Treatment in Large B-Cell Lymphomas Indicates That Axi-Cel and Tisa-Cel Have Similar Outcomes, but Long-Term Cytopenia Is an Emerging Problem

Abstract Introduction. The outcome of relapsed/refractory large B-cell lymphomas, not eligible or cured by high dose chemotherapy due to persistent disease, is very unsatisfactory. The introduction of anti-CD19 chimeric antigen receptor T cells (CAR-T) in this setting, showed impressive long-term results in registrative trials. Axicabtagene ciloleucel (axi-cel) and tisagenlecleucel (tisa-cel) are registered and reimbursed in Italy by Agenzia Italiana del Farmaco (AIFA) for the treatment of relapsed/refractory (R/R) diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) and primary mediastinal B-cell lymphoma (PMBCL) patients after at least 2 lines, with an ECOG 0-1, and an age lower than 71 years. To evaluate in real-life the patients treated in Italy with CAR-T cells, the Italian Society of Hematology (SIE) designed an observational study. Methods. The…