Physical Function and Rehabilitation Across the CAR T-Cell Therapy Continuum: A Narrative Review

Objective physical-function assessment may help personalize supportive care across chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy, yet rehabilitation evidence remains dispersed. We narratively synthesized adult hematologic CAR T-cell reports identified through a reproducible PubMed search, targeted source verification, conference and registry surveillance, and reference tracking through 7 August 2026. Studies used the six-minute walk test, sit-to-stand tests, gait speed, Timed Up and Go, grip strength, balance testing, Section GG, and the Functional Independence Measure. Prehabilitation and ward-based rehabilitation appeared feasible. Six-minute walk distance was preserved overall in one acute cohort, although cytokine release syndrome and neurotoxicity were associated with worse change. Retrospective studies linked poor endurance, falls, balance or strength deficits, and assistive-device use with hospitalization, neurotoxicity, or mortality. Selected patients improved during inpatient rehabilitation, while recommended postacute services were not consistently received. The evidence is heterogeneous, predominantly single-center, and insufficient for causal or eligibility thresholds. Objective functional phenotyping may nevertheless provide a complementary patient-level data layer for matching assessment, mobility, referral, and recovery pathways to treatment phase and clinical context.