VCU Massey’s Cellular Immunotherapies and Transplant Program expands

The outpatient clinic for the Cellular Immunotherapies and Transplant Program at VCU Massey Cancer Center in Richmond has moved to a new, larger space on the ground floor of VCU Health’s North Hospital. The expansion accommodates the growth of the program’s capabilities for stem cell and bone marrow transplantation, as well as its cutting-edge clinical trials.

The clinic offers patients a multidisciplinary team of specialists to address the complications that may arise after transplant and cell therapy, enabling better-coordinated, convenient care.

The available specialties include pulmonology, endocrinology, cardio-oncology and nephrology.

The program’s inpatient facility will remain on the 10th floor of North Hospital.

“This move is a huge opportunity to continue to expand our program’s potential for delivering excellent care to patients with complex needs,” said John McCarty, M.D. director of the Cellular Immunotherapies and Transplant Program and a professor in VCU’s Department of Internal Medicine. “The added space will allow us to support additional high-quality research into new therapies and approaches for management of complications for immunocompromised patients being treated for cancer.”

The program was the first in Virginia to be certified to offer CAR T-cell therapy, proven very effective in treating advanced blood cancers in both children and adults. Massey has numerous clinical trials in progress testing additional novel immunotherapies and improved transplantation techniques.

The Cellular Immunotherapies and Transplant Program has been recognized for its commitment to equitable patient access and exceptional care. In early 2022, the program received one of the highest scores awarded for diversity in transplant patients after a site visit from the National Marrow Donor Program. The NMDP operates the Be the Match® Registry and implements standards that maintain and ensure high-quality care for bone marrow donors and transplant patients.

“Cellular immunotherapy is the future of cancer treatment, and an important tool in our current multi-modal approach to treating individuals with cancer,” said McCarty. “We have seen incredible, practice-changing therapies emerge over the past decades, with more on the horizon. I’m excited for this new period of growth for our program.”