If you were newly diagnosed with lymphoma or looking for a second opinion and you’re wondering what to expect, Siteman Cancer Center at Barnes-Jewish Hospital and WashU Medicine is here to help guide you. Receiving a diagnosis can change everything in an instant — and every patient’s recovery path will look different.
Lymphoma is a complex cancer with over 90 subcategories. That means there is no one-size-fits-all treatment, and the prognosis will vary greatly by type. No two lymphoma diagnoses are alike. The differences in staging and treatment options matter. At Siteman, that nuance is built into every care plan we create.
At Siteman Cancer Center, our experts understand the nuances of different subtypes, stages, and treatment options. That means you will get answers designed specifically for you, not just for lymphoma in general.
Through leading research efforts and developing innovative therapies, Siteman is one of the best places in the region to receive lymphoma treatment — with patients traveling across the country for clinical trials and the most advanced treatment options. With clinical research from WashU Medicine and expertise from BJC HealthCare, Siteman is recognized nationally among the cancer centers for lymphoma treatment.
On average, our physicians see more than 500 patients who have lymphoma each year, making us a center of expertise. Lymphoma falls into two main categories: Hodgkin and non-Hodgkin lymphoma, with many subtypes falling under those. Our physicians have experience with them all.
We care for patients diagnosed with all subtypes of lymphoma, including:
- Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL)
- Follicular lymphoma
- CLL / small lymphocytic lymphoma
- Marginal zone lymphoma
- Mantle cell lymphoma
- T-cell lymphoma
- Burkitt lymphoma
Why Siteman is a Leader in Lymphoma
Lymphoma is a complex disease, with countless types and subtypes that can be difficult to diagnose. Different types of lymphoma need different treatments, so an accurate diagnosis is the first step to receiving the best treatment.
The WashU Medicine lymphoma team at Siteman ensures that you get the right diagnosis and the right treatment plan based on your specific needs. Our physician-scientists are obsessed with finding answers to the complexities of lymphoma, and our specialists focus on treating lymphoma patients with precision. This helps deepen remission and boost survivability.
Because our physicians dedicate their careers to lymphoma, they see patterns and options that others may miss — including clinical trial eligibility, genetic features that change treatment strategy, or sequencing decisions that protect future treatment options.
Siteman Cancer Center is the only NCI-designated cancer center in the region and our patients can access more clinical trials than any other cancer center in the area. We have a decades-long history of driving research into lymphoma. These efforts have helped people across the country with hope for positive outcomes.
As recently as 2025, physicians from WashU Medicine found a phase 1 immunotherapy trial to be safe to use for patients with B-cell lymphoma. This discovery means that our patients have greater access to CAR T-cell therapy at lower costs. Now, cutting-edge treatments are no longer used as a last resort — but as a standard for treatment.
Fortunately, there are many other forms of treatment for lymphomas that we use at Siteman. Chemotherapy and stem cell transplants remain effective therapies for patients with lymphoma — treatments we excel in. Additionally, our research advancements in CAR T-cell therapy led to breakthrough designations by the FDA, giving patients greater access to immunotherapy.
Our Siteman care coordinators – oncology-trained nurses who help with scheduling, finding the right specialist, and guidance – can help you through the process.
Call us directly or submit a form, and we will call you back.
Siteman Leads in Lymphoma Treatment
At Siteman, we tailor your lymphoma treatment to your exact subtype, stage, and specific needs. Siteman’s lymphoma treatment options include CAR T-cell therapy, stem cell transplants, bispecific antibodies, and more.
Greater patient comfort through outpatient services
Our physicians focus on patient comfort and quality of life to ensure that your lymphoma treatment options are as minimally invasive as possible. One of the ways Siteman has advanced patient care is through the opening of our Outpatient Cellular Therapy Center for patients undergoing CAR T-cell therapy, autologous stem cell transplant or immunotherapy with the use of bispecific T-cell engagers (BiTEs). Now, patients do not have to commit to long hospital stays to undergo their treatment.
Leadership in immunotherapy
WashU Medicine physicians were among the first in the U.S. to perform CAR T-cell therapy at Siteman, in 2017. Plus, the depth of our clinical trials means our oncologists have a wealth of experience in the technique. This means patients have better access to these novel treatments than they can find elsewhere and can be confident in their effectiveness.
Immunotherapy has helped patients who don’t respond to other standard treatments for lymphoma. In clinical trials, CAR T-cell therapy has achieved 40 to 80% remission rates, with some patients remaining in remission for several years.
We partner with WashU Medicine’s Center for Gene and Cellular Immunotherapy to advance immunotherapy even further. The center is internationally recognized for developing and offering some of the most innovative gene and cellular immunotherapies available to patients with blood cancer. This means patients have a wider range of treatment options available that could be more effective for their specific cases.
Leadership in stem cell transplants
Siteman is a pioneer in stem cell transplants, launching our program in 1982. Today, ours is one of the largest transplant programs in the world, with over 10,000 treatments performed to date. People have traveled from all over to receive this treatment with us.
We offer both types of stem cell transplants for patients with lymphoma – autologous (using your own stem cells) and allogeneic (using stem cells from a matched donor). This treatment uses living cells to stimulate the immune system to fight cancer.
A Siteman care coordinator is the fastest path to referral, consult, or second opinion. Our care coordinators – oncology nurses who help with scheduling and navigation – will guide you from your first call.
What Our Providers Say About Lymphoma Treatment
Your care at Siteman Cancer Center is led by a multidisciplinary team with deep expertise in lymphoma, cellular therapy, and stem cell transplants. This expertise is integrated in your care to manage complex disease and deliver the most advanced treatment options available.
Your team will include:
- Medical oncologists
- Hematologic oncologists
- Radiation oncologists
- Bone marrow transplant specialists
- Psychologists
- Other lymphoma specialists
Dilan Patel, MD
“We are all in the fight against cancer together. Ego is not tolerated here. We refer patients back and forth to community providers and work together to maximize patient well-being. We are colleagues, not competitors.
The nurses, staff, advanced practice providers, and physicians really lead with their hearts and minds.”
Amanda Cashen, MD
“Blood cancers are very complex to diagnosis and treat. For instance, there are more than 50 types of non-Hodgkin lymphoma, and specialized molecular testing determines the most effective treatment for leukemias and multiple myeloma.
To get the best chance for long-term remission and cure, patients should come to Siteman to see an oncologist who specializes in blood cancers.”
Blood Cancer United Recognizes Siteman’s Efforts
Researchers at Siteman received a $5 million Specializ ed Center of Research (SCOR) grant from Blood Cancer United (formerly called the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society) in 2024, the highest amount of funding possible. This grant helps researchers develop new immunotherapies for blood-based cancers.
With this funding, researchers at WashU Medicine have divided their focus into three projects focusing on lymphoma treatment options:
- Advancing CAR-NK cell therapy for patients with B-cell lymphoma, using the same general strategy as CAR T-cell therapy.
- Addressing gene editing of T cells so they can target cancer cells without attacking a patient’s healthy tissue. This commonly occurs in graft-versus-host disease.
- Advancing personalized cancer vaccines for patients with follicular lymphoma. This trains a patient’s immune system to recognize and attack abnormal proteins found on their specific cancer cells.
Siteman is advancing care of patients through scientific discovery. Patients here have greater access to novel therapies because of their proximity to such advanced and thorough research.
The discoveries Siteman develops are especially crucial in harder-to-treat cancers. Their research findings provide greater personalization since these therapies often use the patient’s own immune system to target and eliminate cancer cells.
Lymphoma Breakthroughs From Clinical Ttrials
Siteman has more clinical trials than any other center in the region, with dozens specifically focused on different types of lymphoma. When you enroll in a clinical trial, you not only receive novel treatment unavailable elsewhere, but you also help shape the future of cancer care for patients who come after you.
Here are a few examples of clinical trials that led to breakthroughs for lymphoma treatment at Siteman:
- A targeted therapy for patients with follicular lymphoma using bispecific antibodies. These drugs help your immune system attack malignant tumors and have received promising results for effectiveness, with fewer uncomfortable side effects for patients.
- A clinical trial conducted at Siteman led to the FDA’s Breakthrough Therapy designation for an innovative CAR-T cell therapy called WU-CART-007. This designation lowers some logistical and financial barriers linked to many cell-based therapies, reducing patients’ waiting time for treatment.
- The ECHELON-3 trial, led by Nancy Bartlett, MD, tested adding a drug called brentuximab vedotin with a combination of either lenalidomide or rituximab. It showed the combination was safe, giving patients with typically hard-to-treat cancer another option
Our Groundbreaking Research Means More Treatment Options for Patients
Treatment for blood cancers is notably complex, but treatments are rapidly evolving. Siteman opens the door for patients who have faced few options with lymphoma. Whether their cancer has come back, or they aren’t eligible for a certain type of treatment, there are several therapies we offer that can help even difficult-to-treat cancers.
In just one example, Siteman was one of the first centers nationwide to offer a new therapy for non-Hodgkin lymphoma called Yescarta. This clinical trial at Siteman was approved by the FDA in 2017, giving hope for patients who had previously failed standard therapies.
By moving research from the bench to the clinic, WashU Medicine physicians pave a path forward for patients with cancer and give them hope to keep fighting.
“We work as hard as possible to achieve research and clinical breakthroughs. We try our best and then reset the next day. We collaborate with other institutions around the world. If something is not here, we will gladly refer outside because patient well-being comes first rather than individual accolades or ego. We also have the ‘most’ fun in treating patients and getting people into remission!”
–Dilan Patel, MD
Nurses at Siteman answer every call and every form. Speak with them directly 8:00 am to 4:30 pm CT Monday- Friday for guidance on appointments, second opinions, and referrals.