PARTNERSHIPS TO ENHANCE access to care
PROVIDING CUTTING-EDGE TREATMENT THROUGH HAWAI ‘ I CANCER CONSORTIUM
new type of immunotherapy treatment for cancer
A patients , Chimeric Antigen Receptor ( CAR ) T-cell therapy , was made available in 2023 through a partnership between the University of Hawai ‘ i Cancer Center and Hawai ‘ i Pacific Health ( HPH ), a Hawai ‘ i Cancer Consortium member . This new treatment allows some of the sickest cancer patients to stay in Hawai ‘ i with family and friends for care instead of traveling out of state .
“ CAR T-cell therapy is a very innovative and specialized type of cellular immunotherapy where we ’ re able to use a patient ’ s own immune cells , genetically modify them , and use those modified cells to fight cancer ,” said UH Cancer Center assistant researcher Stephanie Si Lim , MD , a pediatric hematologist / oncologist at Kapi ‘ olani Medical Center for Women & Children and medical director of the cellular immunotherapy program at HPH . “ It is very different from traditional chemotherapy because it targets cancer cells with more precision .”
Dr . Lim has spent the last two-and-a-half years building the cellular immunotherapy program at the UH Cancer Center and HPH . CAR T-cell therapy is now offered to children with B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia and adults with B-cell lymphoma and multiple myeloma .
“ Through HPH and the UH Cancer Center ’ s joint efforts , we are excited to offer this important and lifesaving therapy to patients with difficult-to-treat cancers ,” Dr . Lim said . “ We look forward to our ongoing collaboration to expand the availability of groundbreaking FDA-approved oncology products and clinical trials for our community here in Hawai ‘ i .”
The Hawai ‘ i Cancer Consortium is a collaboration of various healthcare partners including Adventist Health Castle , Hawaii Medical Service Association , Hawai ‘ i Pacific Health , Kuakini Medical Center , The Queen ’ s Health System , the UH John A . Burns School of Medicine , and the UH Cancer Center .
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Craig Boddy , MD , hematologist / oncologist , Hawai ‘ i Pacific Health , and Stephanie Si Lim , MD , MBA Photo courtesy of Hawai ‘ i Pacific Health