Tumor-Infiltrating Lymphocyte (TIL) Therapy

Karmanos is proud to be the first in Michigan to offer this groundbreaking treatment for skin cancer. Tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL) is a therapy that uses AMTAGVI, a prescription medication used to treat adults with a type of skin cancer that cannot be removed surgically or has spread to other parts of the body.

How Does it Work?

TIL is a type of immunotherapy that uses your own T-cells to create a one-time treatment that may help your previously treated melanoma. T-cells are specialized immune cells created by the body as a response to detecting cancer.

The treatment is made by obtaining T-cells directly from a surgically removed piece of the tumor. Once the T-cells are separated from the tumor, they are rejuvenated and grown to create your treatment. Since T-cells are different in everyone, each treatment is made specifically for the individual.

Three-Step Treatment Process

Step 1: Short course of chemotherapy
This short course of chemotherapy will occur before you receive your treatment. This chemotherapy is lymphodepleting and will help your body prepare to receive AMTAGVI.

Step 2: Receiving your TIL treatment
You will receive your treatment no sooner than 24 hours after your last dose of chemotherapy and will be given to you by intravenous infusion. This should take less than 90 minutes.

Step 3: Short course of interleukin-2 (IL-2)
This is given to support special T-cell activity within your body and is administered inpatient. Typically, this portion takes up to three days, and you will be monitored closely by your care team for any side effects.

After completing the course of this three-step process, your care team will discharge you when they believe you are ready to go home. If you experience any side effects, be sure to talk to your care team immediately.