INSIGHT. In February this year, the FDA approved the first T cell therapy against solid tumours—lifileucel.
This method utilises tumour-infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL), a type of T cell naturally targeting cancer cells, extracted from the patient’s own tumour and then multiplied in a laboratory environment. Ultimately, the cells are reintroduced to the patient through a one-time infusion therapy, meaning the treatment is administered once rather than in repeated doses. As such, the treatment is completely personalised, leveraging the patient’s own immune system to directly attack the cancer cells.
The T cell therapies previously approved by the FDA have all targeted various types of blood cancer. Lifileucel, which has now been approved for treating adult patients with a type of skin cancer that cannot be surgically removed or that has metastasised, showcases the potential of immunotherapies in combating solid tumours.
Ongoing research aims to enhance the effectiveness and reduce the costs associated with TIL treatment. For instance, scientists are exploring genetic manipulations to make TILs even more proficient at infiltrating and eliminating tumours. This could open up entirely new possibilities for cancer patients to recover from the disease.
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