Potential role of tocilizumab in severe gastrointestinal barrier damage after CAR T-cell therapy

Abstract

We report a septicemia and disseminated candidiasis due to delayed gastrointestinal mucosae repair in a patient treated with tocilizumab after anti-CD19 CAR T-cell therapy. Tocilizumab could have inhibited intestinal tissue repair and furthered bacteria translocation leading to the invasion of intestinal mucosa by yeasts as IL-6 is known to be involved in mucosal wound healing.

Keywords

• CAR T-cell
• Il-6
• tocilizumab