A Novel Immune-Based Cell Therapy Improves Treatment for Metastatic Melanoma

On this episode of Advances in Care, Erin Welsh is joined by Dr. Barbara Ma, a medical oncologist at NewYork-Presbyterian who leads Cellular Therapy for Solid Tumors at Weill-Cornell Medicine. Dr. Ma and her team are at the forefront of advancing cell-based treatments which include tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte therapy—or TIL—a groundbreaking cell therapy for metastatic melanoma that received FDA approval in 2024. Their program is one of only a handful in the United States with the expertise and infrastructure to offer TIL therapy to patients with advanced melanoma based on the complexity of this treatment approach. The process for administering TIL is multi-step beginning with the surgical removal of a patient’s tumor, from which the potent TIL cells are isolated, and grown in large quantities in a lab. These enhanced immune cells are then infused back into the patient’s body, to attack the malignant tumor directly. This process requires close supervision of the patient due to the side effects of a drug called IL-2 that helps prepare their body to receive the infusion and stimulate the immune cells. Despite the intricacy of the treatment, patients have experienced significant tumor shrinkage, sometimes within weeks, of receiving TIL therapy providing a new option with lasting effects. Dr. Ma and her team are now investigating ways to optimize TIL therapy by shortening the manufacturing process, which can take several weeks, and reducing the toxicity associated with IL-2 to improve the patient experience. NewYork-Presbyterian and Weill Cornell Medicine is one of the few medical centers to both administer and continue to research this groundbreaking therapeutic avenue, which will likely have future applications in other types of solid tumor cancers.  Chapters:  [00:00 - 6:40] A New Treatment for Melanoma  Dr. Barbara Ma talks about a new treatment option for melanoma – tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte therapy or TIL.    [6:40 – 9:02] The Challenges of Immunotherapy and Solid Tumor Cancers Dr. Ma discusses the toxicity associated with some immunotherapies, and how TIL therapy is administered.    [9:02 - 12:55] Response Rates for TIL Therapy  Dr. Ma describes the timeline of response following TIL therapy.    [12:55 - 16:26] Future Applications of TIL  Dr. Ma shares how patients can benefit from TIL as a second-line therapy, and how her team is working to shorten the manufacturing time and reduce IL-2 associated toxicity.    [16:26 – 18:07] Cell Therapy as the Next Frontier Dr. Ma talks about her outlook for cell therapy as the next frontier in cancer treatment.    [18:07 – 18:48] Credits   *** Dr. Barbara Ma is an Assistant Professor of Medicine at Weill Cornell Medicine and a medical oncologist specializing in cellular therapy and immunotherapy for solid tumors. She serves as Head of the Phase I Unit and leads Cellular Therapy for Solid Tumors at WCM, where her work focuses on advancing Tumor-Infiltrating Lymphocyte (TIL) therapy and next-generation cell therapies for cancers including melanoma, lung cancer, head and neck cancer, gastrointestinal cancers, and cervical cancer. Her clinical and research efforts center on translating emerging cellular therapies from early-stage clinical trials into real-world patient care, while improving treatment safety, reducing toxicity, and expanding access for patients with advanced cancers.   For more information visit nyp.org/Advances