TIL Therapy
The fight against cancer is constantly evolving, with new treatments and therapies emerging to improve our ability to care for you. At Orlando Health Cancer Institute, we offer the most advanced options, including the latest in immunotherapy treatments. Tumor-Infiltrating Lymphocyte (TIL) therapy is among the newest treatments that harness the power of your body’s own immune system to fight cancerous tumors.
TIL therapy is an innovative cancer treatment that uses your body's immune system to combat melanoma, a type of skin cancer. It takes advantage of the power of immune system cells that specialize in identifying and attacking cancer cells.
These protective cells can be overwhelmed by fast-growing cancer cells, rendering them ineffective and allowing the tumor to grow. TIL therapy allows us to bolster your immune system. Your team will extract immune cells from your tumor to grow in a lab. Later, these cells – and many more like them – will be put back into your body, where they target and destroy cancer cells.
TIL therapy leverages the natural ability of T cells, a type of white blood cell that fights cancer. To start the treatment, we extract some of those cells from the tumor, where they are already fighting on your behalf.
In the lab, your team will grow billions more cells using a highly specialized manufacturing system that also enhances their effectiveness. The one-time therapy allows us to send reinforcements to your immune system to turn the tide of the battle against the tumor.
TIL therapy may be an option if you have advanced melanoma that hasn’t responded to traditional treatments, including chemotherapy and targeted therapy. It shows particular promise in cases where the cancer has spread beyond the skin to other part of the body. It may also be an option if you aren’t considered a candidate for other forms of immunotherapy.
Among the criteria that could suggest this treatment is right for you:
- You have metastatic mucosal or cutaneous melanoma.
- Progression has occurred after at least one line of prior therapy.
- You have a good clinical performance status.
- At least one lesion is accessible for surgical removal.
When you undergo TIL therapy, you will have a highly personalized treatment tailored to your unique needs. Your compassionate care team will take you through the process, starting with the biopsy and ending with reinfusion of cells. Throughout your treatment journey, you will be closely monitored by our experienced oncologists and other healthcare professionals. Each person and treatment is different, but many patients experience significant improvements in their condition and quality of life following TIL therapy.
First, you will be evaluated by your oncologist to see if you are a good match for TIL therapy. If yes, your treatment’s progression looks like this:
Tumor sample collected: A small piece of the tumor will be collected through surgery.
Manufacturing: The tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte cells are harvested from the tumor and then used to create billions more cells in the lab.
Patient preparation: Before the cells can be put back into your body, you will be hospitalized for a preparatory chemotherapy treatment called lymphodepletion.
Infusion: The new batch of TIL cells is injected back into your body in a process similar to a blood transfusion.
Enhancement: Following the infusion, you will receive up to six doses of interleukin 2 (IL-2), an immune-modulating therapy, to bolster the TIL therapy.
Monitoring and follow-up: You will be closely monitored by your care team for any potential side effects and response to treatment.
