CAR T-cell therapy reprograms a patient’s immune cells to fight cancer. For him, it felt gentle—“No harsh procedures, just care and observation. Unlike chemo, it felt like breathing again.”
Published Jun 19, 2025 | 4:25 PM ⚊ Updated Jun 19, 2025 | 4:25 PM
Synopsis: After battling cancer and enduring harsh treatments, Rehan (43) and Perumala (66) mark three years of remission, thanks to CAR-T cell therapy at Narayana Health City. The therapy gave them not just survival, but healing without debilitating side effects. Under Dr. Sharat Damodar’s care, their journey stands as a testament to the power of accessible, compassionate, science-led treatment
After years of fighting cancer, enduring chemotherapy’s brutal toll, and fearing the worst, two survivors finally have reason to celebrate—and not just because they are cancer-free.
For Rehan, 43, and Perumala, 66, CAR-T cell therapy was more than a medical breakthrough. It was a lifeline. A second chance at life without the devastating side effects that had once drained their strength, peace, and hope. Today, they are no longer patients. They are survivors. They are proof that treatment can heal without harming, and that science, when made accessible, can restore not just life—but dignity.
On 18 June, the two sat to share their journey as well as to mark three years of remission after undergoing CAR T-cell therapy. The treatment was offered at Narayana Health City in Bengaluru, under the care of Dr. Sharat Damodar, Senior Consultant Hematologist and Head of the Adult Bone Marrow Transplant unit.
Although doctors prefer to declare someone “cured” only after five cancer-free years, the milestone was still deeply significant—for the patients, their families, and the medical team.
Rehan, whose parents had both battled cancer, was mentally braced for the diagnosis of Stage 3 follicular lymphoma. Still, nothing could prepare him for the sheer physical and emotional toll of chemotherapy. “I had reached a dead end,” he recalled. “My chemo failed, I got COVID, and it felt like nothing more could be done.” But when a family doctor suggested he consult Dr. Damodar, he made the call.
“He enrolled me for CAR-T cell therapy, and that’s when I started feeling the hope,” said Rehan.
CAR T-cell therapy uses the patient’s own immune cells—engineered to attack cancer. The process sounds complex, but for Rehan, it felt surprisingly gentle. “There were no rigorous procedures, just observation and care. Compared to chemotherapy, it felt like I could breathe again.”
Ms. Perumala, a 66-year-old from a farming family near Coimbatore, first learned she had lymphoma in 2018. She went through six cycles of chemotherapy, only for the cancer to return in 2020. The second round of treatment weakened her body even further. She began to accept cancer as a permanent shadow in her life. But when a relative told the family about the CAR T-cell therapy program at Narayana Health, they made the journey to Bengaluru.
“I was very used to the idea of having cancer,” she said in Tamil. “But chemo made my body so weak, I couldn’t even walk up the stairs without help.”
That changed after CAR T-cell therapy. Within 10 days of treatment, her family saw the difference. “She started moving around, doing things herself, regaining weight,” said her son-in-law. “Today, she can do everything on her own. And there are no side effects.”
Rehan echoed the same. “With chemotherapy, I lost all my hair. I had nausea, I couldn’t eat, and it left me with psychological scars. With CAR T, I felt normal. It gave me my life back.”
The therapy process itself lasted about 30 days in the hospital. Because of the high risk of infection, both patients were kept in sterile rooms, closely monitored, and advised to avoid crowds and public transport. But unlike their previous treatment experiences, they didn’t suffer through endless cycles or lingering complications.
For Dr. Damodar, these cases are not just clinical successes—they are personal victories. “In the US, this treatment can cost up to ₹4 crore,” he said. “When we started it here, it was ₹30–40 lakh. Now we’ve brought it down to ₹20–25 lakh, and we’re working to bring it below ₹15 lakh. That’s the target.”
With the therapy now approved in India through domestic products like NEXCAR19 and QARTEMI, more patients can hope for outcomes like Rehan and Perumala’s. But Dr. Damodar stressed that access remains an issue. “The patients are there. The need is there. Now the government needs to fast-track approvals and reduce costs so people don’t have to go abroad.”
“Cancer doesn’t pick and choose rich people to affect,” said Nithun Manjunath, director at Narayana Health City.
Dr. Damodar believes the science is sound—but adds that more research is needed, especially in an Indian context. “There are ethnic differences. Lifestyle, food habits, and even the radiation exposure in cities could all be factors. We don’t know yet what the long-term effects will be. I hope I’m wrong about the risks.”
But for now, the stories of Rehan and Perumala are a reason to believe. They are not just statistics in a clinical trial. They are parents, caregivers, community members—people who got a second chance.
“I must congratulate Dr. Sharat and his team,” said Rehan. “They didn’t just treat my cancer. They treated me like a human being.”
(Edited by Ananya Rao)
