Kiwi cancer patient flies to Shanghai for CAR-T therapy
Edited by Dong Jun. Subtitles by Cai Wenjun.
Shanghai has emerged as a major hub for CAR-T cell therapy, drawing international patients to the city for the high-end treatment's affordable cost, high efficiency, and positive results.
Emma Holden, a 36-year-old multiple myeloma patient from New Zealand, will arrive in Shanghai on Monday to undergo treatment.
Her local therapy choices have run out and have not worked well. Reluctantly, she and her family have made public her battle against multiple myeloma, a common type of blood cancer, to raise funds for her trip and CAR-T medical expenses in Shanghai.
The money was raised in just one month after her story received widespread attention. She will be under the care of Dr Lily Zhou at Shanghai SinoUnited Hospital.
Emma Holden, a 36-year-old multiple myeloma patient, is featured in a New Zealand newspaper as she tries to raise funds for her CAR-T treatment in Shanghai.
Emma during an online consultation with Dr Lily Zhou from Shanghai SinoUnited Hospital.
CAR-T, or chimeric antigen receptor T cell treatment, is tailored for each patient by reprogramming their own immune cells to target their cancer. It is a complex treatment that necessitates close monitoring with multidisciplinary teams.
"We have just finished the most recent online consultation," said Zhou, who recently returned from a trip to New Zealand. "Emma is in very serious condition due to the fast progression of her disease and has failed many previous treatments, including chemo and allo stem cell transplantation.
"We will try our best and have made detailed treatment plans, which are still quite challenging and tough for her case in such a late stage.
Dr Lily Zhou (right) checks with Dale, a lymphoma patient from New Zealand who received a successful CAR-T treatment in Shanghai, during a recent trip to New Zealand.
Dale enjoys life after receiving successful CAR-T treatment in Shanghai.
"I am so happy that the medical capability in Shanghai is known internationally. There is a very promising future for medical tourism, as there is no CAR-T therapy in New Zealand, and patients fly all the way to Shanghai for our high-quality medical treatment, good service, quick response, and competitive price, which is more cost-effective than in Western countries.
"Many patients come to us after online consultations and comparing different centers around the world. They finally chose Shanghai for their treatment," she said.
So far, China has six commercialized CAR-T treatments that cover all major targets for a variety of blood diseases.
Dr Lily Zhou introduces Shanghai's CAR-T treatment at a conference in New Zealand earlier this month.
