TIL Therapy: Facts and Hopes

After a positive phase III trial, it is evident that treatment with tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL) is a safe, feasible, and effective treatment modality for patients with metastatic melanoma. Further, the treatment is safe and feasible in diverse solid tumors, regardless of the histologic type. Still, TIL treatment has not obtained the regulatory approvals to be implemented on a larger scale. Therefore, its availability is currently restricted to a few centers worldwide. In this review, we present the current knowledge of TIL therapy and discuss the practical, logistic, and economic challenges associated with implementing TIL therapy on a larger scale. Finally, we suggest strategies to facilitate the widespread implementation of TIL therapy and approaches to develop the next generation of TILs.