Richmond, Va.-based VCU Health’s Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center has become the first facility in Virginia to offer tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte therapy for advanced stage melanoma patients.
TIL therapy is approved to treat the about 40% of patients with aggressive melanoma who do not respond to current treatment options, according to an Aug. 18 news release from the health system.
To administer the therapy, a sample of a patients’ tumor is removed and sent to a separate facility where tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte cells are extracted, “amplified and rejuvenated by the billions,” the news release said.
The immune cells are then returned to Massey and administered to the patient through a one-time infusion.
“We have recruited and trained a high-performing clinical team that operates like the Avengers against late-stage melanoma,” John McCarty, MD, medical director of Massey’s Cellular Immunotherapies and Transplant Program, said in the release. “We’re moving into a completely new era of cellular therapy.”
At the Becker's 11th Annual IT + Revenue Cycle Conference: The Future of AI & Digital Health, taking place September 14–17 in Chicago, healthcare executives and digital leaders from across the country will come together to explore how AI, interoperability, cybersecurity, and revenue cycle innovation are transforming care delivery, strengthening financial performance, and driving the next era of digital health. Apply for complimentary registration now.