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Jeremiah Bergeron pays close attention to detail. As a nurse caring for hospital patients receiving CAR T cell therapy, Bergeron monitors each of his lymphoma and myeloma patients for subtle changes that could signal serious side effects. 

Since MD Anderson launched its first CAR T clinical trial in 2015, this revolutionary type of immunotherapy has shown great success. In some cases, it has eliminated all signs of disease, essentially curing patients¡¯ cancer. But it also has unique side effects, which can be life-threatening if not managed well. Bergeron has learned to identify and intervene early to help patients reverse these effects. 

¡°It¡¯s exciting and scary at the same time,¡± he explains. ¡°Everyone responds to CAR T cell therapy differently ¨C while some have no side effects, others may experience neurotoxicity or cytokine release syndrome, which can be as mild as a low-grade fever or as severe as multi-organ failure. Frequent checks of vital signs and neurological assessments are key to keeping patients safe.¡±

Finding meaning in connections with patients undergoing CAR T cell therapy

Bergeron describes his role as helping patients weather the storm of CAR T cell therapy, and he says it¡¯s all worth it when patients see the remarkable outcomes. He especially enjoys hearing each patient¡¯s unique story, as some have just been diagnosed with cancer and others are trying CAR T cell therapy because all other treatments have failed.

¡°I learn so much from our patients. They all have different life experiences and goals,¡± he says. ¡°Some patients are looking forward to meeting their first grandchild, while others are just starting their families. Their perseverance inspires me and gives my work meaning.¡± 

A CAR T cell therapy milestone

Bergeron also finds meaning in the role he¡¯s played in helping the institution reach a historic milestone in August 2022, when MD Anderson treated our 1,000^th patient with immune effector cell therapy, which includes CAR T, CAR natural killer and T cell receptor cell therapies. Bergeron is proud to work with a multidisciplinary team to care for about 100 of those patients, ensuring patient safety and optimum outcomes.

¡°The amount of teamwork and collaboration is unique to MD Anderson and helps us provide the safest care possible,¡± he says. ¡°I became a nurse to help people, and I¡¯m honored to be part of a team that¡¯s transforming cancer care and giving hope to people around the world.¡±

Read what MD Anderson¡¯s experts have learned since we launched our first CAR T cell therapy clinical trial in 2015.

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