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"If I hadn't come to China, I might not be here today." New Zealand man overcomes advanced cancer with Chinese CAR-T therapy.
A 24-year-old New Zealand man who was told there was little hope by doctors in his home country has achieved complete remission from advanced lymphoma after receiving CAR-T therapy in Shanghai, in what experts are calling a landmark case of cross-border medical collaboration.
Michael, whose full name has been withheld for privacy, was diagnosed with primary mediastinal large B-cell lymphoma. He had an 11-centimeter mediastinal mass, pericardial effusion, pleural effusion, cardiac tamponade, pulmonary embolism, recurrent infections, and multiple bone metastases.
In New Zealand, Michael underwent four lines of treatment — chemotherapy, radiotherapy, immunotherapy, and targeted therapy — all of which failed. Due to the severity of his condition, he was deemed ineligible for the country's only available CAR-T clinical trial.
His New Zealand physician then referred him to Dr. Lily Zhou, Medical Director of SinoUnited Health International CAR-T Cell Therapy Center, Chief of Hematology Department.
"She was very confident. She said, 'You'll be fine. There are still many treatment options in China. We will cure you. You're an easy case,'" Michael recalled. "Back in New Zealand, the doctors always looked worried, which made me even more scared. But Dr. Lily Zhou has treated so many patients. Her experience gave me real hope for the first time."
According to Dr. Lily Zhou, confronted with Michael's primary drug resistance, relapse after multiple lines of therapy, high tumor burden, cardiac complications, infection risks, and hypercoagulability, SinoUnited Health quickly assembled a multidisciplinary team, bringing together hematology specialists from lymphoma CAR‑T team at Ruijin Hospital, experts in cardiology, general surgery, radiotherapy and infectious diseases at SinoUnited Health. The team stabilized his physical condition and formulated bridging therapy and CAR‑T treatment protocols. Ultimately, the center selected CD19 CAR-T (Axi-cel) therapy. A real-world study involving more than 200 Chinese patients showed that Axi-cel achieved the best objective response rate (ORR) of 83.1% and the best complete response (CR) rate of 68.2% in patients with relapsed or refractory large B-cell lymphoma, results highly consistent with global pivotal study data.
It is reported that China currently has eight approved CAR-T products, accounting for more than half of the 15 such therapies available worldwide. The cost of CAR-T treatment in China is approximately one-third to one-fifth of that in the United States, making the therapy significantly more affordable for international patients. The SinoUnited Health International CAR‑T Cell Therapy Center is turning these advances into hope for international patients.
Encouragingly, the treatment proceeded safely and smoothly. Just four weeks after CAR-T infusion, a PET-CT scan showed that Michael had achieved complete remission. Dr. Zhou noted that during treatment, Michael experienced only Grade 1 Cytokine Release Syndrome (CRS) with no Immune Effector Cell-Associated Neurotoxicity Syndrome (ICANS). Treatment goals were achieved safely and effectively through multidisciplinary care.
"Dr. Lily Zhou came to see me often. When I felt unwell, she held my hands and gave me strength." Michael said. "The nurses arrived within ten seconds of me pressing the call button. In New Zealand, sometimes I had to wait 30 minutes or an hour. Every member of the SinoUnited Health team is dedicated and responsible." Deeply moved by his experience, Michael hugged Dr. Lily Zhou during her visit.
What began at Shanghai Centre Clinic on West Nanjing Road, SinoUnited Health has grown over the past decade into a healthcare provider that blends general and specialty care, along with the experience built up in international patient services. Ten years of expertise is reflected in every international patient's treatment journey. "The future of cross‑border healthcare is not merely bringing more patients to China," said Dr. Kathy Shi, Founder & CEO of SinoUnited Health, President of Shanghai SinoUnited Hospital, Chief of Cardiology Department, SinoUnited Health. "It is about connecting expertise across borders and delivering patient‑centered care."
For patients seeking medical care across borders, medical safety is the top priority, but it is far from the whole story. "I have no worries about medical safety in China," Michael said. "I know China is the best. And the price here is much cheaper than in the US and Australia."
SinoUnited Health has established a lymphoma CAR-T multidisciplinary consultation mechanism with Professor Weili Zhao's team at Ruijin Hospital, affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine. The entire process — from overseas evaluation to infusion and follow-up — is completed within two months. Pre‑treatment online consultations also help set realistic expectations before patients arrive.
"We cannot guarantee a cure for every disease," Dr. Shi said candidly. "But whenever there are potential options backed by evidence-based medicine, we will try our best and fight the disease alongside our patients."
Dr. Shi added, "We provide an end-to-end patient experience. Starting from airport pickup, language barriers are not an issue. We respect every culture, and we have a dedicated coordination team taking care of their daily needs."
Michael is now preparing to return to New Zealand to embrace a brand-new life. Before departure, he plans to explore Shanghai in depth and share his story on social media to help other cancer patients.
Dr. Lily Zhou offered a message to patients facing similar struggles: "Michael's journey shows us that even after multiple lines of treatment fail, patients may still have a chance. Don't give up. When one door closes, it doesn't mean there are no other doors. It means we need to find the right one."
And that door is now open in Shanghai – for patients from China and around the world.
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