CPT® Code 38225

Chimeric antigen receptor T-cell (CAR-T) therapy; harvesting of blood-derived T lymphocytes for development of genetically modified autologous CAR-T cells, per day

Chimeric antigen receptor T-cell (CAR-T) therapy represents a groundbreaking approach in the field of immunotherapy, utilizing the patient's own immune cells, specifically T-lymphocytes, to combat cancer. This innovative treatment involves the extraction of T-cells from the patient's blood, which are then genetically modified in a laboratory setting. The modification process employs a disarmed virus that introduces genetic material into the T-cells, enabling them to express chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) on their surface. These CARs are crucial as they empower the T-cells to identify and bind to specific protein antigens present on the surface of cancer cells, thereby facilitating targeted destruction of these malignant cells. The harvesting of blood-derived T-lymphocytes is conducted over one or more days, during which the T-cells are separated from the blood. Following this, the engineered T-cells are expanded to produce a substantial quantity, often numbering in the hundreds of millions. Concurrently, the patient undergoes lymphocytic cell-depleting chemotherapy to prepare their immune system for the subsequent infusion of the modified CAR-T cells. Once the CAR-T cells are ready and the patient is adequately prepared, these engineered cells are infused back into the patient’s body. The CAR-T cells then utilize their engineered receptors to seek out and eliminate cancer cells, while also remaining active in the body for an extended period to help prevent cancer recurrence. The procedure is reported using CPT® Code 38225, which specifically denotes the harvesting of blood-derived T lymphocytes for the development of genetically modified autologous CAR-T cells, on a per-day basis.