CancerFax
CELL THERAPY GUIDE

TIL THERAPY
EXPLAINED

How tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte therapy harnesses your body\'s own tumor-fighting immune cells to treat advanced solid cancers.

Reviewed by: CancerFax Medical Team, Oncology & Haematology SpecialistsLast reviewed: April 16, 202610 min read

What Is TIL Therapy?

TIL (tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte) therapy is a form of adoptive cell therapy. It uses immune cells already present within a patient's tumor โ€” cells that have naturally migrated there to fight the cancer โ€” and expands them massively in a lab before re-infusing them.

โ€œTIL therapy amplifies the immune soldiers your body has already deployed against the tumor.โ€

How TIL Therapy Works

  1. 1

    Tumor Resection

    A portion of the tumor is surgically removed to harvest TILs.

  2. 2

    TIL Isolation & Expansion

    Lymphocytes are isolated from the tumor and expanded to billions using IL-2.

  3. 3

    Lymphodepletion Chemotherapy

    Preparative chemo clears existing immune cells to make room for TILs.

  4. 4

    TIL Infusion

    Billions of expanded TILs infused back into the patient.

  5. 5

    IL-2 Support & Recovery

    High-dose IL-2 may be given post-infusion to support TIL survival and activity.

TIL Therapy Key Data

  • 36%ORR in advanced melanoma (Amtagvi)
  • 2024Year of first FDA approval
  • $515KUS list price (Amtagvi)
  • 50B+TIL cells infused per patient

TIL Therapy vs CAR-T Therapy

TIL Therapy

  • Targets solid tumorsMelanoma, lung, cervical; expanding to more.
  • Polyclonal responseRecognizes multiple tumor antigens simultaneously.
  • Requires tumor surgeryNeeds resectable tumor tissue for TIL harvest.

CAR-T Therapy

  • Targets blood cancersB-ALL, DLBCL, myeloma primarily.
  • Single-antigen targetingEngineered against one specific target (CD19, BCMA).
  • Blood draw onlyRequires leukapheresis, no surgery.

Frequently Asked Questions

About TIL Therapy

    How CancerFax Helps

    CancerFax is a specialist cancer access and patient-navigation platform. We help patients and families understand their options, organise medical records, coordinate hospital communication, and support cross-border treatment planning where appropriate.

    description
    Medical Record Review

    We help collect and organise reports, scans, pathology, biomarker results, and treatment history for structured case review.

    verified_user
    Eligibility Coordination

    We communicate with hospitals or trial teams to assess whether a case may be suitable for further screening.

    hub
    Hospital Communication

    We support appointment coordination, document submission, translation, and direct communication with international departments.

    flight
    Travel & Admission Support

    For international patients, we help with practical coordination โ€” travel planning, hospital admission guidance, and local support.

    explore
    Treatment & Trial Navigation

    If this option is not suitable, we help explore other relevant treatments, clinical trials, or advanced care pathways.

    support_agent
    End-to-end Coordination

    From inquiry through to follow-up, our coordinators provide a single point of contact for the family.

    CancerFax does not guarantee treatment access, eligibility, or clinical outcome. Our role is to help patients access accurate information, structured review, and appropriate specialist pathways.

    Exploring TIL Therapy for Advanced Cancer?

    Upload your medical reports for a free evaluation. We help connect patients with TIL therapy centers and clinical trials worldwide.

    This content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult a qualified oncologist before making treatment decisions.