Женщине из Луизианы помогла ремиссия после редкой терапии CAR T-клеток

North Louisiana woman credits rare CAR T-cell therapy with putting her cancer in remission Feist-Weiller Cancer Center is the only facility in the region offering the treatment, and the third site in Louisiana to do so SHREVEPORT, La. (KSLA) - A North Louisiana woman says a rare cancer treatment gave her a second chance after years of searching for answers. Martha Durden-Scroggins was diagnosed with B-cell lymphoma at age 68 — a disease where white blood cells slowly grow out of control, damaging the immune system, according to the National Cancer Institute. Now 71, she is about three months into remission following CAR T-cell therapy at Feist-Weiller Cancer Center in Shreveport. “I was sick for a long time before they discovered what was wrong with me,” Scroggins said. What is CAR T-cell therapy? CAR T-cell therapy stands for Chimeric Antigen Receptor T-cell therapy. Dr. Shashank Cingam, director of Blood Marrow Transplant and Cell Therapy at LSU Health Shreveport, said the treatment works by using the body’s own immune cells. “Our body has cells called T cells that fight off infection, viruses, and sometimes pre-cancer,” Dr. Cingam said. “You’d be amazed how good a job the immune system does to find and kill the cancer cells. However, sometimes cancer gets smarter.” When that happens, Dr. Cingam said his team steps in. “So we take those T cells, modify them in the lab, in these specialized labs, and multiply these T cells, which are modified, and they’re put back in the body,” he said. “Once they’re put back in the body, they go and detect these cancer cells and kill them.” Dr. Cingam described CAR T as a “one-and-done” living therapy. He said it is approved primarily for patients who have already failed a line of traditional treatment. A difficult road to remission Scroggins said the decision to pursue CAR T therapy was not easy. “It was scary,” she said. “I didn’t want to think about it, but it was there, so I just relied on the Lord as much as I could, and I knew that he would get me through.” The path to treatment hit an early setback. Dr. Cingam said his team was initially unable to successfully manufacture Scroggins’ T-cells, delaying the process. Her daughter, Talya Scroggins-Theus, said she watched her mother push through the difficulty. “It was up and down, up and down,” she said. “She’ll say she’s okay, and then the next day I’ll see her weak again.” Scroggins-Theus said the family focused on keeping her mother supported. “Pick up medication. Take her to her treatments. Make sure she’s having smoothies. Getting all the fuel and nutrients that she needs. Protein. We just prayed,” she said. Results and what comes next Dr. Cingam said Scroggins responded well to the treatment. “She had very minimal side effects, as well as had the best outcome on her PET scan, which is what we call complete remission,” he said. “We just need no evidence of cancer in her body. So, fortunate for us, she had the best possible outcome.” Scroggins-Theus said the change in her mother has been clear. “You know, we just wanted her to stop moving, Mom, just rest,” she said. “But now she’s calling, what are we doing today? What are we cooking this weekend? And it’s just her back to herself.” Scroggins said she feels the difference. “I feel myself getting better and stronger,” she said. “I’ve gone back to doing all the things that I stopped doing. I’ve been attending church. I go to activities now, and I wasn’t able to do any of that before.” Program growth at Feist-Weiller CAR T-cell therapy has been available at Feist-Weiller Cancer Center since late 2025. It is the only center in the region providing this level of comprehensive blood cancer care in North Louisiana and the third site in the state to offer the treatment. Six other patients have also been successfully treated since the program launched. Dr. Cingam said for cancers like Scroggins’, the average survival for patients who have failed first-line traditional treatment is about 24 months. For approximately 50 to 60 percent of eligible patients treated at Feist-Weiller, CAR T therapy can lead to long-term cures — defined as no evidence of disease five years later. Before Feist-Weiller offered the treatment, many patients had to travel hundreds of miles to receive it. Ochsner LSU Health CEO David Callecod said the program is designed to serve a broader region. “Not only will we treat patients all across North Louisiana, but also South Arkansas and East Texas,” Callecod said. “And the ability for those patients to stay closer to home is just so very important.” Callecod said the addition reflects the health system’s commitment to the community. “The key takeaway in terms of adding CAR-T therapy is that we, most importantly, are here listening to the community, looking at ways in which we can keep patients closer to home,” he said. Dr. Cingam said the program is expected to grow as more patients become eligible. “We’re still awaiting final scans on patients, but so far it’s been great,” he said. When asked whether he was confident more patients would ring the bell — a milestone marking the end of cancer treatment — he said, “Yes, absolutely.” Scroggins said she has not yet had that moment but is looking forward to it. “I haven’t had the bell rung yet,” she said. “I’m looking forward to the bell ringing.” Her daughter said the family hopes others in similar situations will seek out their options. “I’ve seen the change in my mom,” Scroggins-Theus said. “She is feeling so much better by going through this CAR T-cell treatment. And we’re forever appreciative that it’s here now. And people who are battling this cancer, you have options.” Scroggins said she believes the treatment will have a wider impact. “The therapy is actually the greatest thing, and it is going to save a lot of lives,” she said. Copyright 2026 KSLA. All rights reserved.