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VCU Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center is the first and only authorized treatment center in Virginia to offer tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte (TIL) therapy for advanced stage melanoma patients. TIL therapy is a highly personalized, cutting-edge treatment that harnesses a patient’s own tumor tissues to produce billions of individualized immune cells, which are infused back into the patient to target and attack the disease. This one-time treatment option — the first cellular therapy to be FDA-approved for solid tumors — may also be commonly referred to as ‘adoptive cell therapy,’ ‘Amtagvi’ or ‘lifileucel.’

“This innovative new approach offers the potential of long-term survival for a large percentage of advanced melanoma patients who have exhausted all other available options,” said Andrew Poklepovic, M.D., a medical oncologist and associate director for clinical research at Massey, who specializes in the treatment of melanoma.

Recent findings presented during the 2025 American Society of Clinical Oncology Annual Meeting showcased how TIL therapy continues to contribute to durable responses and meaningful survival.

Melanoma is a type of skin cancer that is potentially life threatening because it grows rapidly and often spreads to other organs. Most deaths from skin cancer are caused by melanoma. Just over half of melanoma patients with metastatic disease experience long-term survival with the current standard-of-care medical treatment options. TIL therapy is now an approved option for the approximately 40% of patients with aggressive melanoma who do not benefit from those treatments.

TIL cells—a type of immune cells that recognize and kill cancer cells—are unique to every person, and many patients with metastatic cancer have a decreased TIL immune function.

Eligible patients who undergo TIL therapy will have a small portion of their tumors surgically removed. This tissue sample is sent to a separate facility, where the patient’s own TIL cells are amplified and rejuvenated by the billions. After a few weeks, that enhanced supply of supercharged immune cells is shipped back to Massey, where they are administered by infusion into the patient to actively target and kill their melanoma.

“Massey has the comprehensive and multidisciplinary experience required to effectively administer a seamless arc of therapy necessary for our patients,” said John McCarty, M.D., medical director of the Cellular Immunotherapies and Transplant (CIT) Program at Massey. “We have recruited and trained a high-performing clinical team that operates likes the Avengers against late-stage melanoma. We’re moving into a completely new era of cellular therapy.”

This treatment is provided by an extended care team of specialists—medical oncologists, surgical oncologists, cellular therapy experts—in a single location, including a one-time infusion treatment without maintenance therapy.

“Massey stands out as a center of excellence for advanced skin cancers based on our ability to offer TIL therapy for melanoma and excellent collaboration between surgeons, medical oncologists, dedicated oncology nurses and the whole patient-centered team,” said Benjamin Schmidt, M.D., surgical oncologist at Massey.

“This is an incredible achievement in cellular therapy made possible by an expert multidisciplinary approach, and Massey is exceptionally positioned to provide this service for our patients,” said Sneha Purvey, M.D., an oncologist and solid tumor attending physician for Massey’s CIT Program. “There is a growing demand for TIL therapy, and we expect to be able to treat approximately 10-12 patients this year.”

Massey is the only National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center in Virginia to offer TIL therapy. Multiple Massey physicians participated in the initial clinical trial of TIL therapy for advanced melanoma beginning in 2017, which directly contributed to its official FDA approval in February 2024. There are currently other active clinical trials at Massey investigating the use of TIL therapy in lung cancer and earlier stages of melanoma, in addition to the standard of care.

For more information on TIL therapy, visit the Massey website.

Written by: Blake Belden