How long might CAR-T cell therapy work?

• In a groundbreaking medical achievement, a woman has remained cancer-free for over 18 years following an innovative CAR-T cell therapy she received as a child, which represents the longest documented remission achieved through CAR-T cell therapy for a solid tumor.
• The modified T-cells were detectable in some patients for more than 5 years post-treatment, suggesting a lasting immune response against the cancer.

For decades, the term “incurable disease” has signified a grim prognosis, leaving patients and families with few options beyond palliative care. However, the case of a woman who has remained cancer-free for over 18 years following an innovative CAR-T cell therapy offers a glimmer of hope that scientific advancements may redefine what is considered incurable.

The Landmark Case

In a groundbreaking medical milestone, a woman who was diagnosed with neuroblastoma as a child has remained in complete remission for nearly two decades following a pioneering CAR-T cell therapy. Her case, recently documented in Nature Medicine, marks the longest recorded remission achieved through this form of treatment for a solid tumor.

Between 2004 and 2009, a clinical trial at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas, treated 19 children suffering from neuroblastoma, a rare and aggressive pediatric cancer. The trial utilized CAR-T cell therapy, a method in which T-cells from the patient’s own immune system are genetically engineered to recognize and attack cancer cells. In this instance, the modified T-cells were designed to target GD2, a protein found on neuroblastoma cells.

Of the original 19 participants, 12 unfortunately succumbed to the disease within seven years. However, five patients survived beyond this period, with one experiencing an astonishing 18-year remission – without the need for further treatment.

The Power of CAR-T Cell Therapy

This case reinforces the potential of CAR-T cell therapy to achieve long-term control over diseases once deemed untreatable. Traditionally, this therapy has shown exceptional results in treating blood cancers, such as leukemia and lymphoma. However, its efficacy against solid tumors has been inconsistent, making this particular case all the more remarkable.

Studies indicate that, in some patients, the genetically modified T-cells remained active for over five years post-treatment. This prolonged immune response suggests that early-generation CAR-T therapies may hold the key to not only treating but potentially curing certain types of cancer.

Personalized medicine is defined by treatments tailored to an individual’s unique biological profile, and CAR-T cell therapy exemplifies this concept. In this approach, a patient’s own T-cells are extracted, genetically modified to recognize specific tumor antigens – such as GD2 in neuroblastoma – and reinfused to target and destroy cancer cells. The success of this case reinforces the potential of personalized immunotherapy in providing precise and durable treatment outcomes.

A Future Without Incurable Diseases?

This case raises an exciting question: can innovative treatments like CAR-T therapy render previously incurable diseases treatable or even curable? The rapid advancements in genetic engineering, immunotherapy, and regenerative medicine suggest that we may be on the cusp of a revolution in healthcare.

While challenges remain – such as ensuring accessibility, managing potential side effects, and improving success rates across various diseases – this landmark remission underscores the importance of continued investment in groundbreaking medical research. If a single pioneering treatment could achieve an 18-year remission in an aggressive pediatric cancer, it stands to reason that future therapies may hold the key to defeating other so-called incurable diseases.

The notion of the “incurable disease” may soon become obsolete, replaced by an era where medicine is not just about managing illness but eliminating it altogether.

Prepared by:

Jakub Knurek

Sources and further reading

1. Ledford, H., Woman in cancer remission for record 19 years after CAR-T immune treatment, Nature News, 2025
2. Heczey, A., Blood T-Cells and EBV Specific CTLs Expressing GD-2 Specific Chimeric T Cell Receptors to Neuroblastoma Patients (NESTLES), ClinicalTrials.gov. Identifier: NCT00085930
3. Ledford, H., The race to supercharge cancer-fighting T cells, Nature News, 2025
4. Li, CH., Sharma, S., Heczey, A. et al. Long-term outcomes of GD2-directed CAR-T cell therapy in patients with neuroblastoma. Nat Med (2025). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41591-025-03513-0