|
|
(HealthNewsDigest.com) – Atlantic Health System Cancer Care’s Atlantic Melanoma Center is among the nation’s leading cancer programs participating in the clinical trials of a new type of personalized immunotherapy known as TIL (tumor infiltrating lymphocyte) therapy, in which the patient’s own immune system cells are removed from his/her tumor, treated with an immune booster and then infused back into the patient, along with a medication that stimulates the immune system. Iovance Biotherapeutics is developing TIL therapy for soild tumors and is currently conducting the pivotal study innovaTIL-01 in patients with metastatic melanoma. Morristown Medical Center is one of the clinical sites for the Iovance study and is the first in New Jersey to treat a patient with this unique experimental therapy.
This leading-edge investigational treatment is undergoing Phase 2 clinical trials at Atlantic Health System medical centers for metastatic melanoma, a difficult-to-treat cancer if standard therapies fail. Atlantic Health System’s Morristown Medical Center is one of a select number of study sites across the nation, and the only site in New Jersey, approved to offer this experimental treatment to patients with Stage IV melanoma, as well as metastatic lung cancer and head and neck cancer. The study is being conducted by Iovance Biotherapeutics.
“Atlantic Health System Cancer Care is committed to cancer research,” said Eric D. Whitman, MD, FACS, medical director of Atlantic Health System Cancer Care, director of the Atlantic Melanoma Center and Principal Investigator at Atlantic Health System for the TIL melanoma trial. “In the last year, we opened more than 50 clinical trials for cancer. Over the past 20 years, our clinical trials have helped paved the way to FDA approval and new standards of care. We offer our patients clinical innovation, hope and healing.”
TIL (tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte) therapy involves five phases:
- Surgically removing a patient’s tumor, then taking some of the patient’s own immune-system cells (white blood cells called lymphocytes that have traveled to the tumor) from the tumor tissue;
- Growing the lymphocytes into billions of immune cells in the laboratory and treating them with an immune system booster called Interleukin-2 (IL-2);
- The patient then undergoes chemotherapy to deplete his or her body of its current immune system.
- After chemotherapy, the patient’s own cells called “TIL” are infused back into the bloodstream.
- After the TIL infusion, the patient is further treated with a short course of high dose IL-2, which stimulates the immune system to help the TIL attack remaining tumor cells.
“The general concept is that TIL replace less effective white blood cells and may be better at finding, attacking and killing the patient’s cancer,” said Dr. Whitman. “Within four weeks of a single treatment, we can see signs of efficacy in patients that respond.”
TIL therapy is currently an experimental, one-time treatment. Iovance plans on filing for approval with the FDA by the end of 2020. At the National Cancer Institute and in some recent trials, including at Atlantic Health System, TIL therapy has shown very promising results, giving hope to patients with melanoma and other cancers.
To learn more about this study and other clinical trials for skin cancer, click here.
About the Atlantic Melanoma Center
The Atlantic Melanoma Center, a clinical and research center of excellence, has received international recognition for its contribution to melanoma care since its founding in 2004. The center’s multidisciplinary approach, combining the expertise of board-certified surgeons, medical oncologists, pathologists, radiation oncologists and nurses – treats all forms of melanoma, including those of the skin, mucous membranes and eyes, as well as other uncommon or advanced skin cancers. Patients receive the latest surgical, medical, and radiation treatments, and are often able to participate in clinical trials available only at a small select group of melanoma programs worldwide. When needed, melanoma surgery is also available. Each year, the Atlantic Melanoma Center treats more than 400 newly diagnosed patients with malignant melanoma or other advanced skin cancers.