Cell therapy is a type of immunotherapy, which is a treatment that aims to help the immune system fight cancer.1
How is cell therapy different from other immunotherapies?
Several types of immunotherapies are being used to treat cancer, and a few are being investigated as innovative treatments.1
Immune checkpoint inhibitors help immune cells fight against cancer by removing barriers that usually hold them back.
Monoclonal antibodies help the immune system stay active in order to recognize and attack cancer cells.
Therapeutic vaccines teach the body to spot and attack cancer cells by introducing cancer-specific markers.
Immune system modulators help the immune response against cancer using natural molecules such as interferons or interleukins.
Cell therapies use living cells from the patient to attack cancer cells.
Investigational TIL cell therapy2
- Uses a patient’s own immune cells, TIL, to fight against cancer
- May find and attack patient’s cancer cells by spotting multiple patient-specific markers
- Now being studied as a possible treatment for solid tumors (such as tumors of the lungs, skin, or other organs)
TIL cell therapy is not yet approved by the FDA for the investigational uses described in this website. Safety and efficacy are still being established.
TIL=tumor infiltrating lymphocytes.
References:
- National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health. lmmunotherapy to treat cancer. Updated September 24, 2019. Accessed May 13, 2025. https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/treatment/types/immunotherapy
- Sarnaik AA, Hamid O, Khushalani NI, et al. Lifileucel, a tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte therapy, in metastatic melanoma. J Clin Oncol. 2021:39(24):2656-2666.
This website is intended for a U.S. audience. TIL cell therapy is not yet approved by any regulatory or health agency for the investigational uses described in this website. This website is for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace discussions with a healthcare professional.
