A RACE AGAINST TIME AND DISEASE

“We’ve made great strides treating melanoma at Fox Chase and have built one of the most comprehensive multidisciplinary teams in the region—an expertise recognized nationally and internationally,” says Jeffrey M. Farma, MD, FACS, Chair and Professor, Department of Surgery, Fox Chase Cancer Center. “I’m thrilled to bring TIL (tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte) therapy to our metastatic melanoma patients who are not responding to their first-line treatment—a cellular therapy which requires critical timing and a highly specialized multidisciplinary team to deliver it.”

By
September 15, 2025
4 min

Fox Chase Cancer Center

At a Glance

Category	Detail
Condition	Metastatic Melanoma
Key Mechanisms	Tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte (TIL) therapy requires critical timing and a multidisciplinary approach.
Target Population	Patients with unresectable or metastatic melanoma who have not responded to first-line treatment.
Care Setting	Specialized cellular therapy units with advanced infrastructure.

Key Highlights

TIL therapy is a high-risk, high-potential-benefit treatment for advanced melanoma.
Critical timing is essential; evaluation should occur before first-line treatment failure.
The process from referral to TIL infusion can take up to eight weeks.
Fox Chase has extensive experience and FACT accreditation in cellular therapy.
Patients must have prior treatment with PD-1 blocking antibodies and may require BRAF +/- MEK inhibitors.

Guideline-Based Recommendations

Diagnosis

Evaluate patients with advanced, unresectable, or metastatic melanoma early.

Management

Utilize a multidisciplinary team for TIL therapy administration.

Monitoring & Follow-up

Monitor disease progression closely to ensure timely intervention.

Risks

High risk of disease progression if therapy is delayed.

Patient & Prescribing Data

Patients with unresectable or metastatic melanoma previously treated with PD-1 inhibitors.

TIL therapy is considered for patients who have limited treatment options.

Clinical Best Practices

Implement a streamlined process for patient evaluation and therapy initiation.
Ensure robust administrative support for insurance approval and eligibility determination.
Utilize advanced surgical techniques for tumor tissue harvesting.