A new form of cell therapy has been developed by Russian scientists that could provide new treatment options for people with advanced and treatment-resistant cancers. This development uses immune cells, taken directly from the patient’s own tumour, to aid in identifying and destroying cancer cells.
TIL (tumour-infiltrating lymphocyte) therapy is an innovative approach to treat an individual’s cancer through activating their own body’s immune system in order to effectively identify, target, and attack the cancer cells with more precision than when using chemotherapy or conventional targeted therapies. Immune cells that have already migrated into the tumour from the patient are collected, then cultured in a laboratory, prior to reinfusing them back into the patient.
This unique group of T-cells has been shown to be very successful in targeting and destroying abnormal tumour cells because they were derived from an actual patient’s immune response to their cancer. Once increased numbers of such T-cells have been cultured in the laboratory, they can then be reinfused back into the patient to boost their immune response against cancerous cells.
This therapy has been developed especially for people with advanced or late-stage cancer, who have little response left to standard treatment options. The goal of this technique is to stimulate/improve the immune system of the patient in order to reduce the rate of tumour growth and improve the chance of survival.
Researchers believe that in the future, this type of therapy will have applications for treating multiple types of solid tumours, such as melanoma and other aggressive tumours.
Experts in the field indicate that this technique is an important step in advancing the concept of personalised medicine for cancer treatment. Because the therapy is comprised of the patient’s own cells, it can be customised to the unique characteristics of their illness. Researchers believe further clinical and scientific studies will assist in evaluating the efficacy and safety of this type of treatment.
Data continue to support a growth in interest toward the use of immunotherapeutic and cell-based therapies as a major focus area for cancer research globally, and the introduction of this protocol in the Russian Federation is part of the ongoing efforts globally to develop treatments for cancer that are targeted with less toxicity than presently available treatments.