From Near Death to Remission: A Native American Carpenter's Journey with CAR-T Therapy

For Dino Riley, a member of the Sac and Fox tribe and a lifelong carpenter from Shawnee, Oklahoma, a routine attempt to donate plasma in 2022 turned into a challenging medical journey that tested his strength and defied the odds. During his pre-donation physical, a doctor discovered concerning lymph nodes that eventually led to a diagnosis of mantle cell lymphoma, a rare and aggressive form of blood cancer.

"I remember this day because it was during a partial eclipse," Riley said. "As I was leaving there and walking to the car, I told my wife, 'I think I've got cancer.' She said, 'Don't say that.' I said, 'My body doesn’t feel right.'"

Riley’s intuition proved correct. After a series of medical appointments and a car accident that led to additional scans, he received his official diagnosis at OU Health Stephenson Cancer Center. There, he met hematologist/oncologist Dr. Taha Al-Juhaishi, M.D., associate director of the Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation and Cell Therapy Program.

"Mantle cell lymphoma is an extremely rare form of cancer," Dr. Al-Juhaishi said. "Because it's so uncommon, it hasn't received as much focus as breast, colon or prostate cancer."

A Challenging Case

Riley's case proved particularly challenging due to multiple factors. Initially enrolled in a clinical trial testing a new first-line therapy combination, he showed early promise but then experienced rapid progression. His condition deteriorated significantly, leading to a 43-day hospital stay with severe complications.

"He came back with a massive neck mass," Dr. Al-Juhaishi said. "His airway was compromised. We put him in the hospital, and he quickly ended up in the ICU. He went into respiratory failure, developed pneumonia and was intubated for about two weeks. He even needed a tracheostomy."

Despite these setbacks, Riley's medical team refused to give up. After stabilizing him with various treatments, they proposed an innovative solution: CAR-T cell therapy, an advanced form of cellular therapy. In Oklahoma, CAR-T is exclusively available at Stephenson Cancer Center.

Understanding CAR-T Therapy

CAR-T (Chimeric Antigen Receptor T-cell) therapy is a groundbreaking approach to treating certain types of blood cancers. The treatment involves collecting a patient's own T-cells (a type of immune cell), modifying them in a laboratory to better recognize and attack cancer cells, and then reinfusing them back into the patient.

Riley received his CAR-T treatment on January 3, 2024. While the therapy itself can be challenging, Riley also experienced both cytokine release syndrome and neurotoxicity, including an episode of temporary amnesia. Cytokine release syndrome and neurotoxicity are unique but common toxicities with immune therapies like CAR-T, Dr. Al-Juhaishi said.

"I lost my memory. I had amnesia for about three days," Riley said. "My daughter called one morning and asked if I was alright. She asked, 'Do you know what day this is?' I couldn't even remember my name."

Nevertheless, the results have been remarkable.

A Remarkable Recovery

Despite these temporary complications, the treatment proved extraordinarily effective. As of February 2025, Riley remains in complete remission, with no signs of lymphoma on his latest PET scan.

"He hasn't needed any lymphoma treatments since his CAR-T therapy," Dr. Al-Juhaishi said. "Without it, he would have certainly died from the disease, but thankfully, this treatment is keeping him in remission."

Riley's gratitude for his care at Stephenson Cancer Center runs deep.

"He was so happy," Dr. Al-Juhaishi said. "He's so appreciative of the care he received."

Hope for Others

Riley's journey from critical condition to remission demonstrates the potential of CAR-T therapy and the expertise available at Stephenson Cancer Center. As Oklahoma's only hospital system offering this innovative treatment, Stephenson Cancer Center continues to lead the way in advanced cancer care.

For patients with certain types of blood cancers, particularly those who have exhausted other treatment options, CAR-T therapy could offer new hope. While the treatment can be challenging and may not be suitable for everyone, Riley's story shows that even in cases where traditional treatments have failed, CAR-T therapy might provide a path to remission.

CAR-T therapy is currently approved for specific types of blood cancers. Consult with your healthcare provider to determine if you might be a candidate for this treatment.

Learn more about CAR-T advanced cellular therapy and our lymphoma care team. You can also make an appointment, or seek a second opinion at Stephenson Cancer Center by calling (405) 271-1112.