Baton Rouge cancer patient recovers after CAR-T therapy

Anne Jordan was home just two weeks after receiving genetically modified cells to treat her blood cancer.

Apr. 12, 2026 at 4:39pm

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A ghostly, translucent X-ray image revealing the complex internal structure of a human blood cell, glowing with a faint blue-green bioluminescence, conceptually representing the innovative CAR-T cell therapy that helped a Baton Rouge cancer patient recover.A groundbreaking cancer treatment harnesses the power of a patient's own modified immune cells to fight the disease.Baton Rouge Today

Anne Jordan, a Baton Rouge resident diagnosed with blood cancer in 2016, underwent a new type of CAR-T cell therapy at the Our Lady of the Lake Cancer Institute. After multiple rounds of chemotherapy and radiation failed to put her cancer in remission, Jordan's doctors referred her to Dr. Nakhle Saba, the director of the CAR-T program at the institute. The innovative treatment using genetically modified cells allowed Jordan to return home just two weeks after the procedure.

Why it matters

CAR-T therapy is an emerging cancer treatment that uses the patient's own immune cells, which are genetically engineered to better recognize and attack cancer cells. While still relatively new, the success stories like Jordan's demonstrate the potential of this cutting-edge approach to provide hope for patients who have exhausted other treatment options.

The details

Anne Jordan was diagnosed with blood cancer in 2016 and had undergone multiple rounds of chemotherapy and radiation without success. Her doctors then referred her to Dr. Nakhle Saba, the director of the CAR-T program at the Our Lady of the Lake Cancer Institute in Baton Rouge. There, Jordan received the innovative CAR-T cell therapy, where her own immune cells were genetically modified to better target and destroy her cancer cells. Just two weeks after the procedure, Jordan was able to return home, a remarkably fast recovery time for such an intensive treatment.

  • Anne Jordan was diagnosed with blood cancer in 2016.
  • After multiple failed treatments, Jordan was referred to Dr. Nakhle Saba in 2026.

The players

Anne Jordan

A Baton Rouge resident who was diagnosed with blood cancer in 2016 and received successful CAR-T cell therapy in 2026.

Dr. Nakhle Saba

The director of the CAR-T program at the Our Lady of the Lake Cancer Institute in Baton Rouge, who treated Anne Jordan with the innovative therapy.

Our Lady of the Lake Cancer Institute

The cancer treatment center in Baton Rouge where Anne Jordan received her CAR-T cell therapy under the direction of Dr. Nakhle Saba.

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What they’re saying

“CAR-T therapy is an exciting new frontier in cancer treatment that is giving hope to patients who have run out of options.”

— Dr. Nakhle Saba, Director of the CAR-T Program

What’s next

Researchers continue to study the long-term efficacy and safety of CAR-T cell therapies, which could lead to the treatment becoming more widely available for a range of cancer types.

The takeaway

Anne Jordan's successful recovery after CAR-T therapy demonstrates the promise of this innovative approach to treating blood cancers, providing hope for patients who have exhausted other treatment options.