Q&A with Professor John Gribben on immunotherapy and patient-centred care

Professor Gribben is internationally recognised for specialising in haematological cancers (blood cancers) and his pioneering immunological approaches to treatment, and bringing many novel therapies, notably CAR-T cells to The London Clinic.

Q: How would you explain immunotherapy and CAR-T therapy in simple terms, and their role in treating blood cancers?

A: Immunotherapy provides therapies that look to decrease toxicity by using the patient’s own immune system to attack and kill their cancer cells. A notable example of how this can work is with CAR-T cells. In this process, T cells ( a type of white blood cell) are collected from the blood patients on an apheresis machine to be sent off for manufacture where a new gene is inserted into the T cell that enables them to latch onto and attack cancer cells. We currently offer a number of different CAR-T therapies for different types of B cell lymphoma, B cell acute leukaemia and myeloma at The London Clinic.

Q: Could you briefly describe your research into malignant B cells and its relevance to current treatments?

A: My research work focuses on how cancer cells switch off patients own immune system to allow the cancer cells to process. We focus on how we can reverse this process and how we can make leukaemia and lymphoma cells more susceptible to treatments including immunotherapy. My patients like the idea that their own immune system can be involved in tackling their cancer and look to understand how they can work to augment this process.

Q: Can you explain what you mean by personalised care when it comes to immunotherapy?

A: Personalised care refers to process which is a shift in treatment approach where care is tailored to the specific genetic makeup of your cancer, and individual needs rather than a “one size fits all” approach. This process focuses on two main areas – precision medicine (targeting the biology of your caner) and personalised support (addressing your own specific needs and preferences). We perform genetic testing of your cancer cells to be able to identify the best treatment approach for your cancer. We offer CART cell therapy by tailoring your immune cells to attack your specific cancer type. We use stratified medicine to group patients by molecular characteristics to predict who will respond best to specific treatments including immunotherapy, chemotherapy or targeted therapies.

Q: What can The London Clinic offer patients over other health care providers?

A: We provide high-quality treatments, including the latest developments in stem cell therapy and immunotherapy, with a focus on delivering personalised, safe and seamless care for patients with haematological disorders, including leukaemia and thalassaemia. Our Stem Cell Transplant Service and CAR-T service is fully accredited and externally audited for quality and performance. The London Clinic, led by renowned haematologists, has evolved into one of the UK’s leading private haematology centres, and offers exceptional patient care.

The London Clinic recently welcomed London Haematology to The London Clinic family. London Haematology is a leading private haematology centre based within our hospital – which brings together a group of specialist consultants focused on the diagnosis and treatment of blood cancers including leukaemia, lymphoma and myeloma, as well as other haematological disorders. This partnership also unlocks new research and collaboration opportunities, allowing us to pioneer treatments, explore innovative approaches, and expand access to breakthrough therapies for more patients.

Q What are the key strengths of The London Clinic in treating blood cancers?

A: The London Clinic offers a state-of-the-art environment with an air filtered clean environment during in-patient stays. The in-patient and outpatient setting, our exceptional nurses, including a team of Clinical Nurse Specialists, cancer specialist pharmacists and other allied health professionals deliver outstanding care. The clinical care is led by a team of exceptional Consultant Haematologists.

All of our Clinical Fellows are enrolled in PhD programs at Barts Cancer Institute, ensuring that they are well versed in the very latest basic research and clinical advances.

Every patients’ care plan is discussed in detail at our regular multidisciplinary team (MDT) meetings. We look to be able to offer the very latest advances in the field, very often offering therapies that are recently approved but not yet available in the NHS.

Find out more about haematology treatment at The London Clinic.