In this episode of Bench to Bedside, Dr. Roy Jensen welcomes Dr. Joseph McGuirk, division director of Hematologic Malignancies and Cellular Therapies at The University of Kansas Cancer Center, to discuss CAR T-cell therapy and the growing "CAR T crisis" in access. Dr. McGuirk explains how CAR T is made from a patient's own T cells and why it has produced unprecedented, potentially curative outcomes in blood cancers such as diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, leading to FDA approvals in second- and third-line settings. He shares national data showing only 25% of eligible second-line patients and 35% of eligible third-line patients receive CAR T, with access declining as distance from a treatment center increases. The conversation highlights barriers including referral patterns, education gaps, logistics, socioeconomic factors, and disparities, and outlines KU's efforts to expand outreach, partner with community sites, and build infrastructure to improve timely evaluation and treatment.

00:00 Welcome and the CAR T Crisis

01:25 How CAR T works

05:00 Breakthrough results and approvals

06:52 The access gap data

10:16 Why delays are deadly

11:49 Barriers to referral and equity

17:31 Taking CAR T closer to home

19:37 What patients can do now

22:22 Rapid evaluation and parallel workflow

24:26 New cancer center and GMP expansion

28:46 Closing thoughts and resources

Links from this Episode:

• Learn more about CAR T treatment at KU Cancer Center
• Learn more about Dr. Joseph McGuirk
• Read Dr. McGuirk's research "Real-world treatment patterns and survival outcomes in second and third line settings in large B-cell lymphoma (LBCL)"
• Read Dr. McGuirk's article "Leading Oncologist Rings the Alarm Bell: 'We Have a Crisis in Life-Saving Access to CAR T-Cell Therapy'
• Hear Dr. McGuirk talk about CAR T access on KCUR's "Up to Date" podcast

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