The Tennessee Oncology Cellular Therapy Program treated its first patient in August of 2024. Our team, with decades of combined experience from other centers, is a national leader in community-based, outpatient cellular therapy.
About Cellular Therapy at Tennessee Oncology
Our center, located at the Elliston Place Center for Blood Cancers, is the main site where cells are received, infused, and post-infusion care is provided. A multi-disciplinary team of physicians, advanced practice providers, nurses, and pharmacists cares for the patients who receive care within our program. Ascension Saint Thomas Midtown serves as our hospital partner for patients who need inpatient care.
Why Cellular Therapy?
Cellular therapy is:
- Effective: Most cellular therapies are potentially curative, meaning that some patients will not need chemotherapy again in their lifetime.
- Safe: Cellular therapy is safe and well-tolerated. Many patients feel it is easier than receiving chemotherapy.
- Early side effects are manageable: Cytokine release syndrome (CRS) and Immune Effector Cell Associated Neurotoxicity Syndrome (ICANS) are reversible and not permanent.
- Supportive care can be continued after your return home: Our team loads follow-up, vaccine, and supportive care (i.e. intravenous immunoglobulin) orders for after you return home.
The Tennessee Oncology Cellular Therapy Program is an Authorized Treatment Center for the following cellular therapy products:
- Breyanzi (lisocabtagene maraleucel)
- Yescarta (axicabtagene ciloleucel
- Tecartus (brexucabtagene autoleucel)
- Carvykti (ciltacabtagene autoleucel)
- Abecma (idecabtagene vicleucel)
Why Choose Tennessee Oncology's Cellular Therapy Program?
- Shorter brain to vein time: Tennessee Oncology patients remain within our system allowing for a smooth transition from your primary oncologist to our cellular therapy team and back. No records to request and no tests to repeat means you get the care you need faster.
- Fewer things are missed when you return home because of a shared electronic medical record. Our team loads vaccine flowsheets, supportive care medications, and follow-up visits to ensure you receive the same high-quality care regardless of what clinic you visit.
- Potentially shorter time at the authorized treatment center: Some components of your care can be performed at a Tennessee Oncology clinic closer to your home. Vital signs, labs, imaging results, and provider encounters are visible to us in real time.
- Access to clinical trials: Through the Tennessee Oncology Greco-Hainsworth Centers for Research, our team maintains a portfolio of study options including a number of clinical trials involving CAR T cells.
- A commitment to quality: Tennessee Oncology is accredited by the American Society of Clinical Oncology Patient-Centered Cancer Care, QOPI certified, a Blue Distinction Center for Cancer Care, and will be accredited as a Clinical Program by the Foundation for the Accreditation of Cellular Therapy in 2026 – one of the country’s first community programs.
