TIL Therapy

Treatment with Tumor-Infiltrating Lymphocytes (TIL therapy) is currently used in patients with advanced/metastatic melanoma or non-small cell lung carcinoma.

In TIL therapy, immune cells (T cells) from the patient's tumor are multiplied in the laboratory until there are billions of cells, which are then returned to the patient. These immune cells are derived from a piece of the patient's tumor. The first step of the treatment is obtaining the necessary tumor tissue through surgical removal. This is usually taken from a metastasis. The tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) are multiplied in the laboratory, where they will grow into billions of immune cells. Patients then receive a brief chemotherapy pre-treatment to prepare the body for the large number of immune cells that will be administered. Following that, the immune cells are returned to the patient via an infusion. This procedure will only have to be done once.

TIL therapy is currently only offered as an experimental treatment as part of a clinical trial. TIL therapy is currently available to patients with advanced/metastatic melanoma or non-small cell lung carcinoma.