Step 6: The CAR-T cell infusion (also known as “Day Zero”)
The next step in your journey is admission onto the Inpatient Oncology unit, located in the C tower of Victoria Hospital on the 7th floor.
Your admission date will be arranged by your CAR-T healthcare team.
Day Zero is the day you get your CAR-T cell infusion. Each day after that will be called Day One, Day Two, and so on. The average length of stay is two weeks, but it could be longer depending on when your team feels you are ready to be discharged.
What to bring for your hospital stay
When planning what to bring to the hospital, please remember that the rooms are not very large.
Some suggested items you may wish to bring include:
- Loose, comfortable clothing, including pajamas or shirts that open in the front so the nursing team can easily access your central line
- Slippers with grip on the bottom and comfortable walking shoes
- Unopened personal hygiene products such as a soft toothbrush, toothpaste, deodorant, and fragrance-free lotion
- Electric razor
- Blanket(s) and your own pillow if you wish. Avoid white pillowcases because they may be confused with hospital linen
- Electronic devices such as a mobile device, a laptop, and/or a tablet and applicable chargers
- Activities such as books, headphones, puzzles, a journal, etc.
DO NOT bring fresh flowers, plants, or dried flowers as they can carry spores that cause infection.
Final Assessment
Once you settle onto the inpatient unit, your healthcare team will complete a final assessment, which will include:
- Accessing your central line
- Taking blood samples
- Checking your vital signs and weight
Once your healthcare team decides you are ready to start treatment, you will receive premedication one hour before your CAR-T cell infusion. This helps lower the risk of possible side effects and allergic reactions.
When ready to infuse your new CAR T-cells, a transfusion medicine technologist will thaw your frozen cells at the bedside in a warm water bath.
Once thawed, your nurse will infuse the cells through your central line, much like a blood transfusion. This takes approximately 20 minutes. Your nurse will stay in the room the entire time to monitor you and watch for any side effects.
Side Effects
Side effects during the infusion may include:
- Nausea
- Shortness of breath
- Cough or tickle in the back of your throat
- Dizziness or feeling lightheaded
These side effects commonly stop once the infusion is complete. You will be closely monitored by your nurse during this process. Please let them know if you have any of these symptoms or start to feel unwell at any point.
