Three years, and cured of cancer: Narayana Health City marks landmark success with CAR T-Cell therapy

Bengaluru: In a quiet consultation room at Narayana Health City in Bengaluru, a 66-year-old grandmother smiles as she flips through a family photo album. Each image marks a memory she once feared she’d never witness — her granddaughter’s school play, a temple visit, and a picnic in Lalbagh.

Just over three years ago, Ms. Perumala (name changed) had been told her cancer had returned more aggressively than before. Today, she is cancer-free.

Her case is part of a landmark medical achievement at Narayana Health City, where three patients with relapsed follicular lymphoma, once considered to have grim survival odds, have now completed three full years of remission after receiving Chimeric Antigen Receptor T-cell (CAR T) therapy.

This milestone marks the longest documented post-CAR T survivals for this form of lymphoma in South India — and represents a beacon of hope for the over 1.4 million cancer patients diagnosed in India annually, many of whom battle aggressive forms of lymphoma and other haematological malignancies.

A last resort becomes a life saver

CAR T-cell therapy is not just another cancer treatment — it is personalized medicine at its most advanced. The process involves extracting a patient’s T-cells, re-engineering them in a lab to recognize and destroy cancer cells, and infusing them back into the body.

This treatment is often considered a last line of defence — offered when chemotherapy, radiation, and even stem cell transplants have failed.

For Mr. Rehan (name changed), a 43-year-old professional from Bengaluru, that moment came in 2022. First diagnosed during the Covid-19 pandemic, Rehan’s condition deteriorated despite multiple chemotherapy cycles and immunotherapy.

His family prepared for the worst. But doctors at Narayana Health City offered one final option — CAR T therapy.

“He had already been through so much. And then he contracted Covid-19, followed by swine flu while performing Hajj. There were moments we thought we’d lost him,” recalled his wife. “But after CAR T, he slowly started to recover — and now, we’re in year three.”

From imported dreams to indigenous breakthroughs

Until recently, CAR T therapy was accessible only in Western countries, costing upwards of ₹3–4 crore per treatment. For most Indian patients, it remained a distant dream. But that changed when Indian biotech firms developed CDSCO-approved CAR T products like NEXCAR19 and QARTEMI, now manufactured in India at a fraction of the international cost.

“This is a historic turning point for Indian cancer care,” said Dr. Sharat Damodar, Senior Consultant Haematologist and Head of the Adult Bone Marrow Transplant Unit at Narayana Health City.

“For the first time, Indian patients have access to a cutting-edge therapy that was once only available to the affluent few abroad.”

Dr. Damodar, who has overseen all three CAR T successes at the hospital, emphasizes that these outcomes are more than individual miracles — they are proof of concept that India can deliver world-class cancer care using its own scientific ecosystem.

India’s cancer burden: A crisis in need of innovation

Cancer remains a major public health challenge in India. According to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), over 14 lakh new cancer cases are reported annually, with blood cancers among the fastest-growing segments.

Of these, lymphomas account for a significant share — and patients with relapsed or treatment-resistant lymphoma face five-year survival rates of just 20–30 percent.

For these patients, conventional chemotherapy offers limited hope, often accompanied by deteriorating quality of life. That’s where CAR T-cell therapy rewrites the script, offering not only longer survival but also sustained, treatment-free remission — and in many cases, a return to normal life.

“After treatment, I could sleep without pain, without fear,” said Perumala. “My grandchildren tell their friends that their grandma fought cancer and won. That is the biggest gift.”

Scaling the future: From individual hope to national policy

While these success stories are cause for celebration, the real challenge lies ahead: scaling this breakthrough to reach the masses.

Dr. Damodar, however, notes that the therapy, while more affordable now than ever before, still costs between ₹30–40 lakh, which is still very expensive.  

“We are working with the government and insurance providers to make this treatment accessible to the common Indian,” he said.

This sentiment was echoed by Dr. Devi Prasad Shetty, Founder and Chairman of Narayana Health. He said: “Innovation must never be a luxury. At Narayana Health, our mission is to ensure that cutting-edge therapies are not just for the elite, but for every Indian — whether they live in Bengaluru, Bhopal, or Bhagalpur. These CAR T successes are only the beginning.”

Already, Narayana Health City is expanding its infrastructure to accommodate more CAR T therapies annually, including establishing training programmes for oncologists, lab technicians, and transplant coordinators nationwide.

Conclusion: Hope in the time of science

The story of CAR T therapy at Narayana Health is a story of survival, yes — but also of science, collaboration, and vision.

It is about a country finally beginning to claim its place in global precision medicine. It is about people like Perumala and Rehan, who are not just living, but thriving.

And it is a reminder that in the battle against cancer, India is no longer looking Westward for solutions. It is building its own, right here — one cell, one patient, one miracle at a time.

What is CAR T-Cell Therapy?

• CAR T-cell therapy is a form of immunotherapy that modifies a patient’s T-cells to fight cancer.
• Used primarily for relapsed or refractory blood cancers like lymphoma and leukemia.
• Now available in India via CDSCO-approved therapies: NEXCAR19 (developed by ImmunoACT) and QARTEMI.
• Cost: ₹30–40 lakh (vs ₹3–4 crore abroad), with potential for further reductions through policy and insurance.
• CAR T therapy is currently offered in select tertiary hospitals, including Narayana Health City, Bengaluru.