My last post said that we were holding on radiation/resection of melanoma stage 4-a tumors. This is because new ones showed up, and the Pet showed one lymph node lighting up, so the oncologist thought we should look systemically and recommended Optivo (the only FDA approved immunologic left that my husband hasn't had yet). We requested a referral to NIH to see about clinical trial availability with TIL (tumor infiltrating lymphocytes).
Here is the brief review from this Phase 2 trial that is now a multicenter study across 14 locations in the US and 2 in Europe. Note that having brain mets is an exclusion for trial consideration for C-144-01:
iovance.com/clinical/c-144-...
The TIL therapy under investigation in this clinical trial, lifileucel (LN-144), is derived through isolation of a patient’s own naturally occurring TIL from a sample of cancerous tumor removed from the patient. After TIL are extracted from the tumor, they are multiplied in a laboratory until billions of TIL are obtained. Prior to receipt of TIL, patients receive a pre-conditioning therapy to reduce the immune suppressive environment of cancer that remains in the patient. The expanded TIL are then administered via intravenous infusion back to the patient as lifileucel (LN-144; TIL therapy), with the intention that the TIL will target and infiltrate cancer in the patient and attack the cancer in greater number. Patients receive up to 6 doses of interleukin 2 (IL-2) immediately following TIL infusion to support growth and activation of the TIL in the patient, and to augment the anti-cancer activity of the TIL therapy.
My husband is a candidate and we are awaiting the IRB (permission for human subject research) to be completed at Virginia Commonwealth University-Medical College of Virginia in Richmond.
This is the second round of this investigational therapy study. The first cohort number at all the approved hospitals was 60 adults. This round is for 85 adult patients for persons with Stage IIIc or IV metastatic melanoma. Patients must have received at least one prior treatment with systemic therapy including an immune checkpoint inhibitor, and if BRAF mutation positive, a BRAF inhibitor.
In case any other folks out there want more information about the trial you can call 1-866-565-4410. The website up above also lists the trial sites in the US, most of which are located in major cities.
Anyone else out there who has been in one of these trials? or earlier TIL trials at National Institute of Health, or had interleukin-2 treatment? Would appreciate hearing about your experiences and tips.
Peace,
Missy