Private hospital in Chennai treats two senior citizen cancer patients with CAR T-cell therapy

A private hospital in the city said on Tuesday, March 3, 2026, that it had successfully treated two senior citizen patients who had cancer, with CAR T-cell therapy.

Addressing a press conference, M.A. Raja, director and senior consultant, medical oncology, MGM Cancer Institute, explained how CAR T-cell therapy worked. In essence, the T-cells (immune cells) are extracted from a patient’s blood, these cells are then genetically engineered to be empowered to fight cancer cells, and then they are infused back into the patient’s body, ensuring that the patient’s own defence system is fighting the cancer.