Tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte (TIL) therapy is a personalized immunotherapy that uses a patient’s own immune cells to fight cancer. T cells are collected from a tumor, expanded in the lab using growth factors like Interleukin-2, and reinfused after lymphodepleting chemotherapy, followed by additional IL-2 support to boost activity.
This approach is promising for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) because TILs are already primed to recognize the patient’s tumor. By infusing billions of these “trained” cells, the therapy can overcome resistance to checkpoint inhibitors and generate stronger immune responses. Early studies show durable responses, even in patients whose disease progressed after prior immunotherapy.
TIL therapy is FDA-approved for melanoma but remains investigational in NSCLC. Ongoing trials are improving cell production, patient selection, and combination strategies. It may offer new hope for patients with “cold” tumors that do not respond to standard immunotherapy, potentially leading to long-term disease control.