Tumor infiltrating lymphocyte (TIL) therapy is a personalized, unique treatment that harnesses a patient’s tumor tissues to produce individualized immune cells, which are infused back into the patient to target and eliminate the tumor.
Massey is the first cancer center, and only NCI-designated comprehensive cancer center in Virginia, to offer TIL therapy for advanced melanoma. Massey is a TIL therapy authorized treatment center and noted as a Center for Excellence.
Learn more about Massey's Cellular Immunotherapies and Transplant program
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In 2017, Massey helped to pioneer the clinical trial for advanced melanoma, contributing to FDA approval in 2024.
Versed in the safety protocols and multidisciplinary approach in administering TIL therapy and with more than seven years of study, Massey’s approach to treat advanced melanoma offers patients long-term survival, particularly for patients who cannot be treated from surgery.
For nearly 40% of patients with advanced melanoma that have exhausted other treatment options, TIL therapy is a viable solution that eliminates maintenance therapies after infusion. TIL therapy is a one-time treatment.
- Step 1 - A piece of the patient’s tumor is surgically removed and sent to a manufacturing facility to develop a custom and unique treatment specifically for the patient’s tumor.
- Step 2 - During the manufacturing process, T cells are separated from other cells within the patient’s tumor tissue. The T cells are harnessed and grown into billions of cells, which are produced with Amtagvi Ⓡ (lifileucel), the medicine behind the TIL therapy treatment. This combination is then cryopreserved (frozen) from liquid form, and sent back to be infused into the patient. As the manufacturing happens, the patient will receive chemotherapy to prepare their body for the cells.
- Step 3 - The billions of cells are then infused back into the patient to target and kill the tumor cells.
TIL therapy at Massey takes approximately 4-5 weeks from the time the patient’s tumor tissue is removed to when the unique treatment cells are infused back into the patient.
There is a patient follow-up within the first month following the infusion.
Massey offers a seamless, comprehensive approach with several providers from many disciplines that make up the patient’s care team – a surgical oncologist, a hematologist/oncologist, a dermatologist and the Cellular Immunotherapies team – who are involved from start to finish of the TIL therapy process.
If a patient is referred to Massey for treatment, the external provider is updated on the patient’s treatment progress, then routed back to the external provider to complete the patient’s treatment experience.
