The CAR T Access Crisis: Why Eligible Patients Aren’t Getting a Potentially Curative Therapy
Release Date: 05/13/2026
The CAR T Access Crisis: Why Eligible Patients Aren’t Getting a Potentially Curative Therapy
Bench to Bedside
In this episode of Bench to Bedside, Dr. Roy Jensen welcomes Dr. Joseph McGurk, 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. McGurk 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...
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Exploring the Obesity-Cancer Connection: A Pioneering Research Initiative
Bench to Bedside
In this episode of the Bench to Bedside podcast, Dr. Roy Jensen, vice chancellor and director of The University of Kansas Cancer Center, is joined by Dr. Kristy Brown and Dr. John Jakicic, co-leaders of KU Cancer Center’s new Obesity, Metabolic Health & Cancer research program, the first of its kind at an NCI-designated cancer center focused on the obesity–cancer link. They discuss rising obesity rates, obesity’s link to at least 13 cancers, and key biological mechanisms including insulin and glucose signaling, inflammation, and hormone changes such as estrogen. The guests explain...
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Collaboration and Community Trust: Tobacco Cessation Research at Swope Health
Bench to Bedside
In this episode of the Bench to Bedside podcast, Dr. Roy Jensen, vice chancellor and director of The University of Kansas Cancer Center, speaks with researchers Dr. Nikki Nollen and Dr. Lisa Sanderson-Cox about building lasting collaborations to reduce tobacco use and cancer disparities, particularly in African American communities. They describe how their partnership began at KU Medical Center and grew through a long-term, trusted collaboration with Swope Health, a federally qualified health center in Kansas City. Drs. Nollen and Cox explain how community and patient advisory boards shape...
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Training the Next Generation of Translational Cancer Researchers: KU Cancer Center’s K12 Program
Bench to Bedside
Dr. Roy Jensen introduces the season’s focus on the people behind cancer research and hands hosting duties to Dr. Ronald Chen, chair of Radiation Oncology and associate director for Community Outreach and Engagement at The University of Kansas Cancer Center. Dr. Chen highlights the KU Cancer Center’s K12 Paul Calabresi Career Development for Clinical and Translational Oncology program, which mentors and trains early career clinician-investigators, and interviews K12 scholar Dr. Yiduo Hu, a breast medical oncologist who joined KU after training at Yale and completing research and degrees at...
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Clinical Pharmacology: The Science Behind Safer, Smarter Cancer Therapies
Bench to Bedside
In this episode of the Bench to Bedside podcast, Dr. Roy Jensen, vice chancellor and director of The University of Kansas Cancer Center, interviews Dr. Brent Sear, director of the Clinical Pharmacology Shared Resource at KU Cancer Center. Brent shares his unique career journey into clinical pharmacology, the role of clinical pharmacology in advancing cancer therapies, and the critical work his team does in guiding clinical trials and personalizing cancer treatment. They also discuss emerging technologies and their potential impact on the future of cancer research. Tune in to learn more about...
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Looking Ahead: Hope and the Future of Cancer Research
Bench to Bedside
In this episode of Bench to Bedside, Dr. Roy Jensen, vice chancellor and director of The University of Kansas Cancer Center, hosts Dr. Kristy Brown, a nationally recognized expert in cancer metabolism and hormone signaling. Dr. Brown discusses the latest breakthroughs in understanding the relationship between obesity, estrogen, and cancer, along with how these discoveries shape more effective treatments. She reflects on her career and shares moving accounts of patient interactions that fuel her research. The conversation delves into emerging opportunities in cancer treatment and prevention,...
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It Takes a Village: The Power of Cross-Disciplinary Collaboration in Cancer Research
Bench to Bedside
In this episode of Bench to Bedside, Dr. Roy Jensen speaks with Dr. Anna Arthur and Dr. Gregory Gan about their innovative cross-disciplinary work at the intersection of nutrition and radiation oncology. They explore how their combined expertise leads to holistic cancer treatment approaches, focusing on the effects of diet, inflammation, and treatment response on patient outcomes. Both experts share their personal and professional journeys into their respective fields, the collaborative projects they have undertaken, and the way they integrate multidisciplinary insights into improving cancer...
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The Power of Patient Voices in Cancer Research
Bench to Bedside
In this episode of Bench to Bedside, Dr. Roy Jensen, vice chancellor and director of The University of Kansas Cancer Center, talks with Marilyn Mahan and Karl Frees, members of Patient and Investigator Voices Organizing Together (PIVOT) – KU Cancer Center’s patient research advocacy group – and co-chairs of the PIVOT Educational Task Force. They discuss PIVOT, an initiative bringing patients, survivors, caregivers, and researchers together to enhance cancer research. Marilyn and Karl share how PIVOT integrates patient perspectives into research, the ways advocates collaborate with...
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There’s No Place Like Home
Bench to Bedside
In this episode of the Bench to Bedside podcast, Dr. Roy Jensen, vice chancellor and director of The University of Kansas Cancer Center, speaks with Dr. Ronald Chen, chair of Radiation Oncology and associate director for Community Outreach and Engagement at KU Cancer Center. Dr. Chen shares his personal and professional journey from growing up in Topeka to Harvard and a career on the East Coast and back to Kansas, focusing on his motivation to return home and how his work impacts rural communities. He discusses his efforts in cancer care, telehealth and clinical trials, emphasizing the...
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The Science of Survivorship
Bench to Bedside
In this episode of the Bench to Bedside podcast, Dr. Roy Jensen, vice chancellor and director of The University of Kansas Cancer Center, is joined by Dr. Anthony Sung and Dr. Jennifer Klemp, leaders in cancer survivorship research. They discuss their personal motivations, the importance of comprehensive survivorship care starting from diagnosis, and the innovative programs and research efforts at the KU Center for Survivorship and Patient-Oriented Research. The conversation highlights the challenges faced by cancer survivors, the need for individualized care, and the role of community support...
info_outlineIn this episode of Bench to Bedside, Dr. Roy Jensen welcomes Dr. Joseph McGurk, 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. McGurk 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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