Frequently asked questions
Everything Patients Ask Us First
Direct answers, organized by topic. If your question isn't here, ask us directly.
The therapy
CAR-T (Chimeric Antigen Receptor T-cell) therapy is a cellular immunotherapy that uses a patient's own genetically engineered T-cells to recognize and destroy cancer cells carrying a specific target marker, such as CD19, BCMA or CLDN18.2. See our full explainer.
The therapies we coordinate access to are approved for specific indications by China's National Medical Products Administration (NMPA). As of 2026, nine CAR-T products hold NMPA approval across lymphoma, leukemia, multiple myeloma and gastric cancer. We only coordinate on-label use of approved products, and tell you clearly if something would instead be off-label or investigational.
Eligibility depends on your specific diagnosis, how many prior lines of treatment you've had, and your current organ function and performance status. Most approved indications require that standard treatment has already failed or relapsed. Our free medical record review answers this before you spend money on travel.
The most common serious risks are cytokine release syndrome and neurological side effects (ICANS), typically within the first one to two weeks after infusion, plus infection risk from low blood counts. For some products, regulators have asked for long-term monitoring for rare secondary cancers. See our full safety standards page.
No, and we will never tell you otherwise. Published trial data shows most appropriately selected patients respond to CD19 and BCMA CAR-T therapy, with a meaningful share achieving durable remission, but responses vary and are not guaranteed.
Cost & payment
Reported total treatment costs are typically US$150,000 to $230,000, including the therapy, hospitalization and monitoring, before travel and accommodation. See our full cost breakdown, including per-product pricing.
In most cases, no. Home-country insurance typically does not cover elective overseas cancer treatment. Most patients self-pay, sometimes supplemented by medical crowdfunding, a charitable grant, or a personal medical loan. We can point you to resources but do not provide financial or insurance advice.
Typically: a deposit to confirm your treatment slot, a milestone payment on arrival after confirmatory workup, and a final balance before infusion, per your signed quotation. We provide an itemized quotation up front with no hidden exclusions.
Travel & logistics
Most patients travel on an S2 visa (private affairs / medical treatment, stays under 180 days), supported by an invitation letter from the treating hospital, which we prepare for you. See our International Patients guide.
Most patients plan for 4 to 6 weeks, covering workup, apheresis, the manufacturing wait, infusion, and monitoring before discharge. See the full week-by-week journey.
Yes, and we recommend it. Standard accommodation and interpreter arrangements include one travel companion.
A professional medical interpreter accompanies every clinical appointment and consent discussion, for both patient and companion.
After treatment
You receive a treatment passport documenting your product, batch number, medicines given and monitoring schedule, sent to your home oncology team in advance, plus a written shared-care agreement and a scheduled telemedicine follow-up plan.
Your home oncologist, working from the shared-care agreement and treatment passport prepared before you left. We coordinate scheduled telemedicine check-ins with your treating team in China at agreed intervals.